Reports of Donald Trump’s Isolationism Have Been Greatly Exaggerated: The US Is Preparing for War

The U.S. has been conducting an intensive campaign against the Houthis in Yemen since mid-March. Despite the incident involving shared information on a Signal chat, Donald Trump’s administration is acting decisively, building America’s position as a security guarantor in the Middle East. Why does he need it, and what does he plan next for Iran?

Trump called the discussion by Cabinet secretaries and administration officials of a strike on Yemen just a minor blunder not worth any major concern. “Michael Waltz has learned a lesson,” he said. Perhaps the U.S. president would have reacted differently if we had known the whole story earlier, or if the attack on Yemen had failed. However, the war against the Houthi terrorist organization continues, and the Americans are succeeding. The Signal chat that disclosed operation details should not obscure the vital fact that the Trump administration is very heavily involved in the conflict in the Middle East.

Why Did Trump Get Involved in the Attacks on the Houthis in Yemen?

To understand how significant the matter is, you must look at the map. At the height of their power, the Houthis numbered 100,000 fighters (some estimate up to 350,000) and exist today as a terrorist organization controlling part of Yemen. The organization is backed by Iran and poses a threat to the whole region.

Years ago, they bombed Saudi oil fields, damaging critical extraction infrastructure and inflicting serious losses on their northern neighbor. By exploiting Yemen’s position in the south of the Arabian Peninsula, they could control shipping between the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, threatening Europe’s key trade route through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean. From November 2023 to this January, they attacked approximately 100 ships, sinking two. From Yemen, the Houthis also launch ballistic missiles toward Israel, missiles that have so far been shot down by the Israeli air defense. And again, looking at the map, to travel the 1,250 miles separating Yemen from Israel, a rocket must pass over Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

Is the Attack on the Houthis Preparation for a U.S. War with Iran?

Although these reports don’t make headlines, America has been bombing the Houthis continuously since March 15. “By attacking Yemen, the Americans show that they are a security guarantor in the entire region and a reliable partner for Israel, but also Saudi Arabia,” a retired Israeli army general told me unofficially a few days ago in Jerusalem. And this is precisely what is at stake in the operation that Trump has engaged in. Israel has succeeded in decimating Iran’s western allies, Hamas and Hezbollah. Now the Americans are attacking the Houthis. The next step will be to strike Iran itself or force it to make concessions on its nuclear program.

Despite the isolationist rhetoric, which is evident even in some of the released Signal messages, America is still driving global policy. The only difference is that it places emphasis differently than Joe Biden’s administration, with far less interest in Europe, and a focus on the Middle East and Asia.