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Houthis Weakened but Not Broken by U.S. Airstrikes
(Wall Street Journal) Saleh al-Batati - American strikes on Yemen's Houthis have destroyed military infrastructure and killed commanders and officials, but they haven't deterred the terrorist group. The Iran-backed militia continues to get off near-daily missile attacks on Israel and most commercial ship traffic is still being redirected around southern Africa. A U.S. defense official said that the military had confirmed the deaths of several Houthi leaders and that whatever capacity to strike the Houthis maintained, "It is largely because of the nearly 10 years of support provided by Iran....They are well-known for false claims minimizing the results of our attacks while exaggerating the successes of theirs. Their messaging depends on lies." The U.S. strikes appear to be focused on targeting the top Houthi leadership. Many of the strikes have hit Saa'da, Yemen's northernmost province and the Houthi homeland. Yemen, twice the size of Wyoming, is a vast nation of mountains, evoking comparisons to Afghanistan. The Houthis are thought to have spent years stockpiling missiles and drones, hiding them in caves or underground facilities where they have built weapons assembly lines and launching facilities.