Re “The Necessary Risk of America’s Military Strikes in Yemen,” by Bilal Y. Saab (Opinion guest essay, nytimes.com, Jan. 13):
Mr. Saab argues that the United States didn’t have much of a choice but to strike Houthi land targets in Yemen. The Red Sea, he writes, is simply too important to the world’s supply chains for a ragtag rebel group to hold it hostage.
We can debate whether the U.S. and its British allies made the right decision, but it’s largely an academic question now. The more important one to ask is: What now?
By using military force against the Houthis to degrade their ability to attack merchant vessels, the Biden administration has now backed itself into a corner. While the strikes will obviously have a short-term effect on Houthi drone and missile capabilities, it’s difficult to envision deterrence holding over the long term.
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