By now, many people should have noticed a very intriguing situation: the Houthi militia from Yemen, which once vowed "full support for Iran" and claimed to have its finger always on the trigger, has not launched any military action to date, neither attacking American or Israeli merchant ships in the Red Sea nor firing missiles at Israel.

This unusually silent stance contrasts sharply with the Houthi's previous behavior during the 2023 Israel-Gaza conflict, where they strongly supported Hamas. This has left the outside world puzzled: why did this armed group, known as the last link of the "Arc of Resistance," choose to "disappear" at such a critical moment?

The Houthis look tough, but their military supplies heavily depend on Iranian support

One analysis points to the depletion of the Houthi militia's weapon stockpiles and supply chains. The U.S. magazine Foreign Policy suggests that the reason the Houthis have remained inactive so far is largely because they have significantly depleted their missile and drone reserves between 2023 and 2025 to support the resistance against Israel's invasion of Gaza.

These weapons were partly used to directly attack Israeli targets, while others were deployed in the Red Sea to block American and Israeli merchant ships. Prolonged operations have led to severe shortages in the Houthi's inventory, making it difficult to sustain a new large-scale conflict.

U.S. media data shows that between September 2024 and early July 2025, the Houthis fired more than 100 ballistic missiles at Israel. In an operation in July 2025, the U.S. military intercepted over 750 tons of materials from Iran, including hundreds of missile warheads, guidance systems, drone engines, and radar parts—key components.

Since the U.S. military has concentrated in the Middle East, the blockade against the Houthis has also intensified

U.S. media emphasizes that during the period from 2024 to 2025, over 80% of the intercepted materials being transported to the Houthis were raw materials needed for production, rather than completed weapons.

This indicates that the weapons delivery route from Iran to the Houthis has shifted from transporting complete weapon systems to a model that relies more on local assembly. However, core technologies such as guidance systems, guidance electronics, and engines remain bottlenecks that the Houthis cannot easily bypass, as they are highly dependent on imports from Iran.

Therefore, although the Houthis may still maintain some missile launch capabilities, their overall combat effectiveness has greatly declined, making it difficult for them to open up a new high-intensity front.

Currently, Iran has already tied down the U.S.

Aside from the constraints on capability, changes in the geopolitical environment have also forced the Houthis to be more cautious. After Israel recognized the Somali-inhabited Somaliland as an "independent country," it quickly advanced plans to establish forward bases there.

This move clearly aims to enhance surveillance, early warning, and potential strike capabilities against the Houthis. Somaliland's location is near the entrance of the Red Sea, only about 260 kilometers away from Houthi-controlled areas. Such a close deployment undoubtedly poses a direct threat to the Houthis, forcing them to prioritize homeland defense in decision-making rather than rashly launching external attacks.

Additionally, there is a subtle situation at present: since March, the U.S. aircraft carrier "Ford" has been operating in the northern waters of the Red Sea after passing through the Suez Canal, showing no signs of continuing southward or crossing the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. This aircraft carrier seems to be "stuck" in the Red Sea by the Houthis, unable to proceed southward to engage Iran's mainland, thus objectively relieving some military pressure on Iran.

The Houthi attack on the oil tanker is fake

As for the so-called "Houthi attack on the 'Lion of Chios' oil tanker linked to the U.S." reported online, it is not a recent event but an old news from 2024 that has been revived for炒作 (sensationalism).

In summary, the Houthi's "silence" in this U.S.-Iran war is not due to a change in position or loss of will to act, but rather a period of observation: observing how long Iran can hold out, watching the next moves of the U.S.-Israel coalition, and even observing whether Saudi Arabia might take advantage of the situation. The development of the situation is worth continuous attention, but at the moment, this "silence" may be the best way for the Houthis to survive in the chaos.



Original: toutiao.com/article/7616685220439327283/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.