Targets approved, bombs loaded & then Trump blinked: Why US pulled back from Houthi strikes
President Trump reportedly prepared for and then abruptly canceled planned airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen following pressure from Saudi Arabia. The incident highlights the complex diplomatic tension between the U.S. and its Saudi allies regarding regional military intervention.
Why it matters
It illustrates the volatile nature of U.S. foreign policy decision-making and the influence of regional allies on American military posture in the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump had moved to launch airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) pressed him to intervene. But Trump abruptly halted the operation before the strikes could begin.A report by New York Times states that Trump had spent nearly two weeks wavering over whether to join Saudi Arabia in its renewed fight against the Houthis. On Wednesday, he told advisers he did not favour strikes. But after MBS called him on Thursday and again urged US military help, Trump reversed course and instructed the Pentagon to prepare airstrikes.According to two people briefed on the attack, Pentagon commanders had created approved target lists, troops were loading bombs onto warplanes selected for the missions and US military was prepared for fresh attacks on the Iranian proxy group.
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