The Houthis, armed with Iranian drones and antiship missiles, forced the U.S. Navy into one of its costliest and most complex maritime operations in decades, transforming the Red Sea into the world’s most active naval conflict zone.

From late 2023 to mid-2025, roughly 30 U.S. naval vessels, including two aircraft carrier groups, engaged in sustained combat operations against Houthi missile and drone attacks. The USS Truman lost three F/A-18 Super Hornets in non-combat incidents, and two Navy SEALs died in a failed intercept of an Iranian shipment.

U.S. forces launched over $1.5 billion worth of precision strikes, but failed to fully neutralize Houthi capabilities. Despite dozens of successful interceptions, the Houthis continued firing on Israeli targets and shipping lanes, maintaining pressure throughout the campaign.

Drone and Missile Tactics Overwhelm Conventional Navy Assets

Houthis demonstrated battlefield innovation by combining fast, low-flying drones with antiship ballistic missiles, sometimes attacking in mixed salvos. U.S. destroyers like the USS Carney faced hours-long engagements. On one night alone, the USS Stockdale endured ballistic and cruise missile strikes, drone swarms, and close-range engagements—all within minutes.

Crew stress reached peak levels as the Navy struggled with radar calibration, munitions resupply delays, and limited maneuvering space in the confined waters of the Red Sea.

Strategic Fallout: Asia Deterrence, Force Readiness Affected

The Red Sea operation delayed carrier maintenance cycles and drew resources away from U.S. deterrence operations in the Pacific. Congressional officials and Navy brass are now examining whether prolonged deployments compromised readiness elsewhere, particularly amid U.S.-China tensions.

Vice Admiral Brad Cooper described the campaign as a "warm-up for high-end conflict"—but one that exposed key vulnerabilities in conventional naval doctrine against agile, irregular threats.

Ceasefire on Minimal Terms

After 53 days of Operation Rough Rider, which involved F-35s, B-2 bombers, and expanded strikes, Trump agreed to a ceasefire: the U.S. would halt bombing, and the Houthis would stop targeting American ships. However, the Houthis continued launching missiles toward Israel.

The Pentagon is now reviewing how a non-state actor with limited resources managed to degrade a world-class navy's operational tempo and rewrite maritime warfare norms.