Part 5/12:
On the surface, one might assume that the U.S. aimed to halt attacks on commercial shipping by the Houthis. However, a deeper dive reveals an additional layer of complexity. The Houthis had significantly decreased their maritime attacks since late 2024 after a ceasefire concerning the conflict in Gaza, contradicting the premise for immediate U.S. intervention. If anything, there was little evidence to justify a reaction, given that the shipping activity through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait had stabilized.