President Trump Reportedly Evaluates Strike Options Against Yemen's Houthi Forces

According to CNN national security analyst and Atlantic Council senior fellow Alex Plitsas, U.S. President Trump held a meeting at Camp David from September 19 to 20 to assess options for strikes against Yemen's Houthi forces; however, both the White House and the Pentagon have yet to confirm this, and the scope and timing of any potential actions may still change.

If this news is true, it would contradict Trump's previous public refusals of direct military strike requests from Saudi Arabia at least twice this month. On September 11, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called Trump twice, urging the U.S. to strike the Houthi forces approaching the Red Sea chokepoint, but Trump refused at the time, only promising to provide intelligence and target data support regarding the Houthis' locations, stating, "We have communicated, and the Houthis said they do not want to fight us," implying that Saudi Arabia would need to rely primarily on its own capabilities. Currently, about 200 U.S. military personnel remain stationed in Saudi Arabia, providing non-combat support. U.S. Vice President Pence previously stated that the government maintains "ongoing communication" with regional partners and has direct dialogue with the Houthis, describing the current situation as "fluid and dynamic."

This round of conflict reignited in July this year after Saudi Arabia intercepted an Iranian passenger plane, with the Houthis continuing to attack Saudi oil tankers and energy facilities, while the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have been in retreat. The Houthis have recently achieved significant victories: first capturing the strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha, and then seizing key islands at the entrance to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on September 12. By September 13 to 14, the Houthis were confirmed to have actual control over this strategic waterway connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, crucial for global shipping and Saudi oil exports. On September 19, the Houthis launched a ballistic missile towards Riyadh, which was intercepted by Saudi air defense systems, and on the same day, multiple U.S. embassies in the Middle East issued simultaneous security alerts.

Commentators point out that if military operations in Yemen are restarted, the situation will be more unfavorable than during the last round of operations in 2025. The previous U.S. operation, codenamed "Operation Rough Rider," began on March 15, 2025, and concluded with a ceasefire agreement mediated by Oman on May 6 of the same year; according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the operation struck over 800 Houthi targets, reducing missile attacks by approximately 69% to 87% and drone operations by 55% to 65%. However, the U.S. also lost two F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets and seven MQ-9 Reaper drones, with Pentagon statistics showing at least 153 civilian deaths and 243 injuries (non-governmental organization "Airwars" estimates the civilian death toll at 224).

Meanwhile, Qatar is reportedly also engaged in diplomatic mediation regarding conditions for de-escalation of the conflict; analysts generally believe that given the intertwined interests of Iran, the Houthis, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S., whether this crisis can be de-escalated through diplomatic channels will directly affect whether the U.S. ultimately chooses to resume direct military strikes.

From the perspective of resource investment and risk-return, the Houthis have not only not been weakened since the 2025 ceasefire but have instead consolidated and expanded their control over the Mokha port and the coastal areas and islands of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, gaining substantial leverage over global shipping routes and Saudi oil export routes. This means that if the U.S. intervenes again, it will face an opponent with significantly enhanced military and geopolitical leverage, with resource investment and uncertainty expectations higher than in 2025. Meanwhile, the immediate trigger for this crisis—the Houthi missile threat to Riyadh and attempts to attack Mecca—has prompted Saudi Arabia to initiate the "Mecca Defense Alliance" mechanism with Turkey and Pakistan, while the U.S. has issued regional security alerts. Multiple security resources are rapidly being concentrated around this strategic waterway, and international oil prices have remained high as a result. If the U.S. ultimately decides to employ direct military strikes, the costs and subsequent impacts are expected to further transmit to global markets through various channels such as energy prices, shipping insurance, and regional military budgets.

Source: Public Information