Houthi advances leave Trump facing only difficult options
Military gains by the Houthi movement in Yemen, combined with new oil supply disruptions pushing global prices higher, are forcing Washington toward a decision on further involvement that it appears reluctant to make.
Continued military advances by the Houthi movement in Yemen are presenting US President Donald Trump with a set of unappealing options. The situation is complicated by fresh disruptions to oil supplies, which are driving global oil prices sharply upward.
Washington's reluctance
The US administration appears loath to open another front, whether military or diplomatic, in the region. Washington has so far avoided deeper involvement in the Yemen conflict, but the Houthis' continued gains may be shifting that calculus.
Rising oil prices add pressure
The disruptions to oil supplies tied to the regional situation have already sent prices soaring on world markets. That development adds further pressure on the Trump administration to act, since rising fuel costs carry consequences for both the US and the broader global economy.
The options available to Trump are described as uniformly difficult, each carrying its own military, economic or political risks. The situation continues to develop, and no clear path forward has yet emerged.
