Guest Post by Joe Kent
A year ago, we were unable to militarily defeat the Houthis. Two major factors came into play here. Issue #1 is finite, and is the reason no one has been able to beat the Houthis. Issue #2 has has now worsened and is the result of our lack of strategy in Iran.
Issue #1: Geography/Terrain
Northwestern Yemen is incredibly mountainous terrain, with peaks and valleys that run parallel to the Bab Al-Mandeb & Red Sea—a critical but very narrow passageway.
This combination gives the Houthis a tactical advantage—by positioning themselves on higher ground, they’re able to easily fire down into the Red Sea and monitor & defend their airspace. In the valleys, they’re able to disperse their missiles/drones & other critical military equipment, hiding it in caves and tunnel systems capable of withstanding our bombs.
Issue #2: The Houthis willingness to negotiate
Our military campaign in 2025 ended with the Houthis agreeing to reopen the BAM to U.S. shipping only once we stopped military action.
The Houthis proved to be durable under the weight of both U.S. & Israeli bombardment, at that was when they were the U.S.’s only target.
Now, the Houthis know we are spread thin and will use this as leverage—this time around, they’ve got the energy crisis working in their favor and they can use it to double the pressure on us via the BAM.
It should not be ignored that, like the Iranians & the rest of the “Axis of Resistance”, the Houthis have been galvanized by the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader due to his religious & cultural significance. This galvanization makes a pragmatic deal like the one we cut in 2025 far less likely now.
I will keep saying it: pull out our troops, walk away, & use economic diplomacy to reopen the SOH & BAM.
These are the kinds of little details that speak volumes about what has really been happening in the US war against Iran. https://t.co/z4i7MY1nEF
— Will Schryver (@imetatronink) July 22, 2026
Lavrov: If Europe Attacks Russia Again, It Will Not Be a Conventional War
‘Russia is not going to attack Europe. But if Europe attacks us again, this will not be a conventional war.’
‘This would be a different type of war.’ pic.twitter.com/CG5aAWZJrg
— Ignorance, the root and stem of all evil (@ivan_8848) July 22, 2026
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[ H/T The Burning Platform ]
