A former high-ranking NATO official has voiced his concerns about the Biden administration’s restrained response against the Houthis, a terror group supported by Iran. The group, he claims, has been emboldened, launching attacks on US naval vessels without fear of significant retaliation.
Ex-NATO Supreme Allied Commander, James Stavridis, who served under the Obama administration when Biden was Vice President, has expressed his discontent over how the current government is managing the situation with the Yemeni rebels amidst the escalating violence in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“Our approach has been excessively cautious and it’s proving ineffective,” Stavridis said during an interview with WABC 770 AM’s “Cats Roundtable” host, John Catsimatidis.
Stavridis, a retired naval officer, warned of the dangers posed by the Houthis’ unrelenting assaults, particularly on the maritime front. “They continue to fire at our warships and civilian vessels. Given the current trajectory, a successful missile strike that could result in American casualties or a major environmental crisis is becoming increasingly likely,” he cautioned.
Stavridis is advocating for a more aggressive stance against the Houthis, arguing that the US needs to ramp up its offensive tactics against the group. He believes that the US may need to consider targeting Iranian maritime assets to send a clear message to Tehran to cease supplying the Houthi rebels.
The Houthis seized significant territories in Yemen in 2014, igniting a civil war. Their recent offensives appear to be in solidarity with Palestinians during the ongoing Israel conflict and a broader attempt to increase their regional influence.
Their ally, Iran, launched a fierce air attack on Israel over the weekend in retaliation for a deadly assault on Iranian officials in Syria earlier this month. However, most of the Iranian drones and missiles were intercepted by Israeli defense systems.