If the Iran-backed Yemeni militia isn’t interested in “human rights,” what does it seek by launching missiles at civilian vessels? Ari Heistein and Jason Brodsky explain:
Economic misery is not an aberration but a characteristic of the Houthi regime. [The terrorist organization’s] aim is not necessarily to make life worse for Yemenis but rather . . . to redirect Yemeni frustrations outward. The group needs to find a new “culprit” while Saudi bombing, the Houthis’ previous explanation for Yemen’s poverty, has been paused due to a multi-year ceasefire. A U.S.-led alliance is the perfect candidate for Houthi villainization, as it comports with the Houthis’ anti-Western ideology.
[In addition], the regime in Sanaa seeks to demonstrate its value to its sponsors in Tehran. They stand to benefit from proving their worth. For the Houthis, establishing that they are both competent and can deliver an excellent return on investment for Iran may translate into additional funding.
[Lastly], by targeting U.S. and Israeli interests in ways that are difficult to respond to, the Houthis are aiming to erode U.S. and Israeli prestige in the region. The Houthi worldview is summed up by the group’s signature “scream” or slogan, “God is the Greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, A Curse upon the Jews, Victory to Islam.”
These considerations, argue Heistein and Brodsky, should inform America’s response:
[T]he U.S.-led anti-Houthi coalition should make efforts to surprise Sanaa and its patron in Tehran. That was the opposite of what happened when the Houthis received advanced warning before coalition strikes after an interminably long period of Western deliberation on taking action. The coalition should also seek to create uncomfortable dilemmas for the group and its sponsors while demonstrating to regional allies that they are better off standing up to the Houthis with U.S. backing than cowering to the radical Houthi regime.
Read more on National Interest: https://nationalinterest.org/feature/what%E2%80%99s-driving-houthis-208562