US says it killed top Houthi missile expert, but questions remain

The White House has said that U.S. strikes in Yemen earlier this month killed the Houthi top missile expert.

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz stated in public remarks that the strikes, carried out on March 15, targeted and killed the Houthi group’s “head missileer,” Caliber.Az reports, citing Western media.

Waltz later reiterated this in a private message, saying the missile expert was identified and killed after entering a building. However, U.S. military officials have declined to verify these statements, creating confusion around the details of the operation.

While officials speaking on condition of anonymity have suggested no independent confirmation of the death, the Pentagon’s silence on such a significant strike is unusual. Typically, the military provides prompt details about high-value targets following successful missions. When asked for confirmation or the identity of the individual killed, the White House directed inquiries to the U.S. military, which has not responded after multiple requests.

The identity of the alleged target remains unclear. Some experts suggest that Abdul Khaliq Badruddin Al-Houthi, the "de-facto commander of the Strategic Missile Forces," could be a potential match, though there has been no confirmation of such a high-ranking individual’s death. The Houthis have not immediately commented on the strike, with spokespeople unavailable during the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

Analysts note that the Houthis, known for their secrecy, might not immediately announce the death of a senior leader. “The leaders of the missile forces are considered ‘secret,’” said Mohammed Albasha of the Basha Report. Michael Knights, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, speculated that the individual Waltz referred to could have been a key Iranian-trained missile specialist involved in direct control of Houthi missile systems.

The U.S. strikes on Yemen, described by former President Donald Trump as a decimation of Houthi leadership, were part of a broader effort to curb Houthi attacks on international shipping, particularly in the Red Sea. Since late 2023, the Houthis have targeted over 100 vessels, including U.S. warships, disrupting global commerce. The U.S. military has responded with a costly campaign to intercept missile threats.

Despite the intensity of the strikes, experts remain skeptical about the efficacy of coercing the Houthis. “They are very pain tolerant, so they’re the worst people to try and publicly coerce,” said Michael Knights. U.S. efforts to force the Iran-aligned group to cease attacks on maritime traffic may prove challenging, as the Houthis, under the leadership of Abdul Malik al-Houthi, have long endured the pressures of war and remain resilient in their opposition.

By Khagan Isayev