US Military Operation in Yemen Lacks Transparency, Raises Concerns

Over a month after launching a bombing campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen, the US Defense Department has provided little information on the operation's progress, accomplishments, or impact. US Central Command, responsible for military operations in the Middle East, has refused to answer basic questions about the campaign, sparking concerns about transparency and effectiveness.

Despite near-daily social media posts about the operation, the command has shared only generic statements and videos of flight operations, without providing concrete details on targets hit, ordinance used, or personnel injured. When asked for specific information, a Central Command official provided a brief statement claiming the US had hit targets in Houthi-controlled areas, destroying facilities and killing several leaders. However, follow-up questions were met with the same statement and a claim that there was “nothing additional to provide at this time.”

This lack of transparency is a departure from the command's behavior under the Biden administration, when it regularly released updates on strikes in Yemen, including targets hit and ordinance used. The last such update was posted on December 31, 2023.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's office has also failed to provide insight into the operation, despite promises of transparency. The Pentagon's top spokesman, Sean Parnell, has hosted only one press conference since taking the job and has offered limited information on the campaign's progress.

The few details available suggest that the operation is costly and may not be achieving its goals. Reports indicate that the operation's costs are nearing $1 billion, with hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of munitions used, including advanced missiles and drones. Meanwhile, the Houthis continue to pose a threat, and shipping traffic in the Red Sea remains unaffected.

Experts say that the operation's impact on merchant shipping is unlikely to change until insurance companies lower "war risk insurance" costs, and that the current situation may even be generating profits for shipping companies. With no clear end state in sight, concerns about the operation's effectiveness and transparency continue to grow.