The US air campaign in Yemen under President Donald Trump resulted in nearly the same number of civilian casualties over two months as in the previous 23 years of US attacks on Islamist militant groups in the country. The operation, named “Relentless Rider,” was conducted from March to May aiming to stop attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Analyses show a significant increase in civilian casualties, indicating a shift in US military policy. Deliberate targeting of civilians is considered a war crime under the Geneva Conventions, although the doctrine has been more flexible in recent conflicts. The campaign ended after an agreement with Yemeni Houthi rebels, who promised to cease attacks on commercial ships in exchange for a halt to US bombings.
Political Perspectives:
Left: Left-leaning sources emphasize the high civilian casualties caused by the US air campaign in Yemen, framing it as a continuation of aggressive and harmful US foreign policy under Trump. They highlight the war crimes aspect and criticize the lack of proportionality and disregard for civilian lives, calling for accountability and a reevaluation of US military interventions.
Center: Centrist sources report the facts of the US air campaign and its outcomes, noting the increase in civilian casualties and the strategic goals of the operation. They present the campaign as a complex military effort aimed at protecting shipping lanes, while acknowledging the humanitarian concerns and the eventual ceasefire agreement with the Houthi rebels.
Right: Right-leaning sources tend to focus on the strategic necessity of the US air campaign to protect American and allied interests in the region, emphasizing the threat posed by the Houthi rebels and their Iranian backers. They may downplay civilian casualties or frame them as unfortunate but unavoidable consequences of military operations against hostile forces.
