Overview

• Operation Rough Rider, launched in March 2025, saw over 1,100 US airstrikes in Yemen but failed to establish air superiority over Houthi forces.
• The campaign cost $1 billion in munitions and raised concerns about depleting resources critical for other global conflicts, such as a potential Chinese threat to Taiwan.
• Houthi forces shot down several US MQ-Reaper drones and targeted naval vessels, demonstrating resilient air defenses throughout the campaign.
• Civilian casualties, including 68 African migrants killed in a single strike, intensified scrutiny of the operation's humanitarian impact.
• The ceasefire, mediated by Oman, halts US-Houthi hostilities on American vessels, though Houthi attacks on Israeli targets continue, fueling broader regional tensions.