Pentagon Chief Admits US Failure to Defeat Yemen’s Ansar Allah
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin acknowledged that Washington’s heavy airstrikes against Yemen did not succeed in eradicating the Ansarullah movement, according to a report by webangah News Agency.
In an interview with Fox News, Austin stated: “The Houthis (Ansarullah) have not been completely destroyed. america shouldn’t devote all its time and resources to regime change in Yemen.”
the Pentagon chief added: “We can’t spend all our time fighting the Houthis while neglecting our primary interests and priorities – Iran and China.”
Without directly addressing the US military setbacks in yemen, Austin claimed: “The main objective of our recent operations in the Red Sea was to force the Houthis into surrender.”
The defense secretary asserted that US naval vessels now enjoy greater freedom of movement through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, without mentioning the earlier withdrawal of the USS Truman aircraft carrier from regional waters.
Austin emphasized that President Biden had been “absolutely clear” about retaliating against Houthi attacks, warning that targeting American ships would not go unanswered.
The defense official also referenced multiple US military exercises simulating conflict with China, stating: “At the Pentagon, we’ve repeatedly war-gamed scenarios with china to stay one step ahead of Beijing.”
Austin noted washington’s growing focus on Asia-Pacific while maintaining engagement elsewhere: “America hasn’t forgotten europe or the Middle East, but we’re strategically shifting our focus toward Indo-Pacific priorities.”
