No Good Option: Why the US Ignores Houthi Attacks on Its Warships

The United States has for months publicly ignored Houthi attacks against its warships out of fear that it can't deter the militant group. The Houthis, like all militant groups, use violence as a form of advertisement. It's their time-tested way of attracting funds and recruits in an environment where both are scarce resources. October 7th and the war it spawned gave the Houthis a special opportunity to rally their "advertising" around pro-Palestinian, anti-Israeli, and anti-Western sentiments. But the Houthis faced a problem. No matter how many ballistic missiles and drones the group fired at Israel in support of the cause, it would never be able to generate enough exposure compared to the direct fighting that Hamas is engaged in. Instead, coinciding with their campaign on commercial shipping, the Houthis began targeting US warships operating in and around the Red Sea. The aim of this ongoing campaign is simple: by goading the US into a war it doesn't want, the Houthis can, in theory, pressure Washington to rein in Israeli operations in Gaza and influence postwar planning for Gaza. And through the cynical lens of militant competition, conflict with the United States is how the Houthis can position themselves as a front-line militia in the fight against Israel and the West–potentially gaining money, followers, and increased support from Iran in the process.