Houthi Mess - What’s Important
Segment # 389
Once again The D4ems have decided to distract with this Signal app rather than focus on the successful strike on the Houthis.
WATCH: House Democrats hold briefing on inadvertent leak of war plans to journalist via Signal app
What did Biden do in 2020 when he took office:
President Joe Biden's position on the Houthis evolved during his administration:
Revocation of FTO Designation (February 2021): Early in his presidency, Biden revoked the Houthis' designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) to avoid impeding humanitarian aid to Yemen. However, Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the Houthis' malign actions, including violence against civilians and attacks on U.S. allies1.
Re-designation as SDGT (January 2024): Amid escalating Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, Biden re-designated the Houthis as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity. This aimed to curb their activities while minimizing humanitarian impact256.
Focus on Peace Efforts: Biden prioritized peace in Yemen early on, appointing a special envoy but relied heavily on UN-led efforts and indirect communication through Oman rather than direct engagement with the Houthis2.
What happened as a result of Biden’s policy
From 2020 to 2025, the Houthis have conducted numerous attacks on ships, with a significant escalation beginning in late 2023. Key figures include:
Over 100 attacks on commercial and military vessels since November 2023 alone167.
By March 2024, 43 cargo vessels had been targeted, with 21 directly hit by missiles or drones4.
As of January 2025, there were at least 113 separate attacks on commercial vessels since November 20237.
This totals well over 150 attacks since 2020, with the majority occurring after late 2023.
Even in Private, JD Vance Puts America First
A key detail from Atlantic Magazine’s story on the Trump administration accidentally leaking its plans to bomb Yemen is being overlooked.
QUOTE: In case you haven’t seen the report, administration officials accidentally included Atlantic’s editor-in-chief in a Signal chat dedicated to discussing this month’s airstrikes in Yemen. This gave the journalist unprecedented access to the government’s process that led to the attacks, pulling back the curtain on what America’s most powerful figures are really like behind closed doors.
The chat included well-known power players like Pete Hegseth, Mike Waltz, Marco Rubio, Stephen Miller, Tulsi Gabbard, and yes, Vice President Vance. It reveals why Vance was such an excellent choice to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.
“Team, I am out for the day doing an economic event in Michigan. But I think we are making a mistake,” he messaged in response to the group’s gung-ho sentiments about launching the strikes. “3 percent of US trade runs through the [Suez Canal]. 40 percent of European trade does. There is a real risk that the public doesn’t understand this or why it’s necessary. The strongest reason to do this is, as POTUS said, to send a message.”
Vance also argued for delaying the attacks for a month and lamented the fact that, as usual, America was doing Europe’s dirty work for them.
“I just hate bailing Europe out again,” he added a few minutes later.
Let’s take a step back. Yes, the Vice President’s hesitations may seem insignificant because the strikes wound up happening anyway. But they’re not.
Firstly, the dialogue shows that real, substantive policy debates are happening inside the administration. Its highest members are not afraid to spar with one another over issues that matter. The chat was not an echo chamber. Dissent is allowed.
Even more importantly, the messages reinforce the fact that the Vice President and likely future commander-in-chief is genuinely wired to want to avoid American interventionism rather than recklessly drop bombs all around the world to flex his manhood like so many of his predecessors. That doesn’t mean the Yemen strikes were examples of such recklessness. It shows that Vance’s antennas were up to make sure they weren’t and that his anti-war messaging isn’t just a public front.
Imagine what would have happened if previous Republican VPs currently held the post. Would Mike Pence have pushed back against the strikes? Please. Dick Cheney? He probably would have been furious they hadn’t happened already. But not Vance.
So what happened in the airstrikes
As of March 26, 2025, the most recent U.S. airstrikes targeting Houthi positions in Yemen occurred on March 20, 2025. According to the Houthi-affiliated SABA news agency, these strikes resulted in the deaths of 16 Houthi members. The agency did not provide specific details regarding the circumstances, timing, or exact location of these casualties. AP NewsAnadolu Ajansı
Earlier, from March 15 to March 18, 2025, U.S. airstrikes targeted several areas in Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, Saada, Al-Hazm district in Al-Jawf province, and As Sawadiyah district in Al-Bayda province. These strikes resulted in injuries to seven women and two children. Anadolu Ajansı
It's important to note that casualty figures in conflict zones can vary between sources, and independent verification is often challenging.