Beth Sanner, the former Deputy Director of National Intelligence under the Trump administration, said that the US’ mission to deter and weaken the Houthis has not succeeded, as Yemeni military operations continue at a high pace against the U.S. Navy as well as against the Israeli entity.

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In an article published in Foreign Policy magazine, Sanner pointed out that the cost-benefit ratio the US is incurring is unsustainable, and on the contrary, the Houthis’ operations and ambitions have not been eroded, but the U.S. military readiness and reputation have been.

Sanner referred to a statement by the U.S. Navy Commander in the Middle East, Vice Admiral George Wikoff, who publicly confirmed that U.S. defensive efforts and strikes will not deter the Houthis. He said, “The solution will not come at the end of a weapon system.”

According to Sanner, the basic conclusion has not changed much, and the decline in attacks in the Red Sea is due to the decrease in the number of targets.

The former U.S. official stressed that Israeli threats will not end the Houthis’ operations, and in any case, after nearly a decade of bombardment by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Yemenis have become hardened and can absorb the intense attacks—while their importance and popularity have risen with each strike.

According to Sanner’s assessment, the Houthis are the only member of the Resistance Axis that emerged from October 7 stronger, more victorious, and bolder. Their ambitions can no longer be ignored.

The American official noted that the Houthis can continue their attacks with relatively cheap drones and missiles and withstand counterattacks indefinitely, while the US is burning billions of dollars and years of production of rare munitions that will be necessary to wage a war in the Pacific.

Sanner estimated that Washington may spend up to $570 million per month on a mission that has failed to move the needle on the threat, and these operations have also drained readiness by forcing U.S. Navy ships and aircraft carriers to extend deployment operations, leading to time-consuming repairs, shrinking the available fleet, and shortening ships lives. The exhaustion of personnel also risks mistakes.

Sanner considered that the benefits of U.S. military activities against the Houthis ambiguous. U.S. trade does not heavily depend on Persian Gulf routes, and U.S.-flagged ships have avoided the entire region since January 2024, except for three times only.

Even with most trade diverted for a year, the disruption of the Red Sea didn’t have a lasting impact on U.S. oil prices or inflation. Moreover, the persistence of a multinational campaign that has failed to attract support from most allies and partners or achieve the stated objective of protecting freedom of navigation, making Washington appear impotent at best.