New - Yemen: Lebanese military and strategic expert, Brigadier General Nidal Zahouri, stated that Yemeni operations in the Red Sea have gone beyond a regional confrontation to become a strategic turning point in global war doctrines.

He confirmed that the carrier failed to neutralize the asymmetric threats posed by the Yemeni front, pointing out that the mission was marred by technical failures and aircraft crashes, prompting the Pentagon to reassess its operational strategy.

The Lebanese expert described the battle as a new model of “non-classical” warfare, where traditional geopolitical theories about controlling straits and sea lanes as a guarantor of military superiority have collapsed. He said these changes demand a reconsideration of future combat management, emphasizing human factors and intellectual capabilities that can transform simple military tools into impactful strategic assets. He linked these shifts to the experiences of the Axis of Resistance in South Lebanon, Yemen, and Gaza, which have created new combat doctrines shaping modern military history.

Brig. Gen. Zahouri also highlighted significant risks facing US forces in the Red Sea, particularly after US officials admitted to a dangerous shortage of interceptor missiles. He explained that the US relies heavily on a “media agenda” to project military superiority, producing few, highly expensive interceptor missiles that are now being depleted rapidly by Yemen’s low-cost weapons — exposing a critical weakness in US defense capabilities. He stressed that Yemen’s use of ballistic missiles against moving naval targets represents a serious escalation, noting that a single strike could disable an aircraft carrier entirely.

He added that the deployment of US destroyers in the Red Sea is primarily defensive, aimed at protecting the Israeli entity from Yemeni missiles. Zahouri emphasized that the militarization of the Red Sea has failed to achieve its goals, praising Yemen’s demonstration of doctrine, Arab identity, and humanity in the confrontation. He concluded that when a battle is rooted in ideology, it cannot be defeated — explaining the Yemenis’ resilience and capacity to sustain their operations.

The USS Harry S. Truman, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, has been one of the most symbolic assets in the US Navy’s regional presence. Any credible threat against it, especially from a country under siege like Yemen, would deal a heavy blow to America’s military prestige.

Washington later announced the Truman would undergo multi-year maintenance—a move experts interpret as its de facto retirement from service.

Since late 2023, Yemen’s Armed Forces have dramatically escalated their military operations in response to the Israeli enemy's war on Gaza and the broader US.-British support for it. As part of their declared solidarity with the Palestinian people, Yemen has launched a sustained campaign targeting Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and beyond—expanding its strategy to include aerial and maritime blockades on the Israeli entity.

Yemen’s increasing use of ballistic and hypersonic missiles, along with advanced drones, has shifted the balance of power in regional waters, creating serious concern within US and Israeli defense establishments. Analysts now describe the conflict as one of the most significant maritime confrontations since World War II, with implications far beyond the Red Sea.