In response to ongoing Houthi rebel attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, the United States has launched retaliatory airstrikes in Yemen, leading to fears among Yemeni civilians who have vivid memories of the country's recent civil war. NPR's Fatma Tanis reports that while some Yemenis are apprehensive about being caught in the middle, others express support for the Houthi attacks.

Ahmed Alwazir from Sanaa shares that the airstrikes have reignited feelings of insecurity and trauma among Yemenis who previously felt safe. The sound of American bombs dropping on Houthi targets has made his children unable to sleep at night. Alwazir emphasizes that many Yemenis draw a parallel between the situation in Yemen and the ongoing Israeli actions in Gaza.

Despite no civilian casualties reported thus far, Alwazir notes that there is significant support for the Houthis' actions. He explains that the conflict in Gaza has become a unifying factor for Yemenis, with some individuals who were formerly against the Houthis finding themselves supporting them due to their activities in the Red Sea.

The Houthi rebels, who gained control over most of Yemen's population after overthrowing the government in 2014, are allied with Iran but face criticism from Yemenis due to corruption, heavy taxation, and poor governance. Maysaa Shuja Al-Deen, a senior researcher at the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies, highlights the debates within Yemen over the Houthis' recent actions. While many support their activities, there are also accusations of hypocrisy as they advocate for freedom for others while oppressing their own people and imposing a blockade on Taiz.

Concerns are rising that the continued Houthi attacks may hinder Yemenis' access to essential resources like food and aid. Yemen is already facing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, and the disruption in one of the busiest shipping corridors adds to Western leaders' challenges.

The Houthis have capitalized on these attacks by sharing propaganda videos that have gone viral. Shuja Al-Deen explains that while the Palestinian issue remains central to Houthi ideology, these assaults also serve their broader goal of confronting Israeli and American influence in the region and liberating Palestine.

Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi warns of further escalation, placing the Biden administration in a difficult position. The US is seeking a peaceful resolution to the Yemeni conflict, which had seemed possible prior to the recent war in Gaza. However, the US, along with the UK, is now aiming to degrade the Houthis' ability to launch such attacks through targeted airstrikes against missile sites and satellites.

Shuja Al-Deen cautions that while the US may be able to temporarily slow down the Houthis, their military capabilities, inherited from the Yemeni army and supplemented by weapons from Iran, are formidable. The US efforts may serve to delay any further attacks but not for an extended period.

As the situation unfolds, Yemeni civilians brace themselves for potential repercussions while Western powers grapple with finding a balance between addressing the Houthi attacks and pursuing a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict in Yemen.