Yemen: Washington Postpones Targeting Houthi Leader: Strategic Option Remains Under Review

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

In a statement revealing the orientations of the Republican Party and the American administration towards the Yemeni file, Adolph Franco, the Republican Party's chief foreign affairs strategist and former assistant to the director of the United States Agency for International Development, affirmed that targeting the leader of the Houthi group, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, remains an option, but it is postponed until suitable conditions are available. During a television interview, Franco described the Houthi group as "Iran's proxy state par excellence," stressing that its attacks against Israel and international navigation cannot take place without direct Iranian support. He pointed out that the Houthis control only about a third of Yemeni territory, but they are implementing a clear Iranian agenda. Regarding the reason why Washington has not targeted Abdul Malik al-Houthi despite designating the group as terrorist, Franco explained that the decision is subject to a careful balance between "feasibility and risk," comparing al-Houthi's situation to that of Osama bin Laden, who was managing operations remotely. He added that targeting him may become an inevitable option if events escalate to dangerous levels. Franco also revealed full intelligence coordination between the United States and Israel in military operations against the Houthis, noting that Israeli strikes inside Yemen are carried out in direct cooperation with Washington. He criticized previous policies that separated counter-terrorism from the Houthi file, considering it a strategic mistake. He concluded by explaining that Washington's current strategy relies on three main tracks: covert action through precise intelligence operations, economic pressure through sanctions, and supporting factions opposed to the Houthis without resorting to a broad ground intervention.