The Houthis, an Iran-backed rebel group in Yemen, have been employing tactics such as tracking ships, threatening them with drones and missiles, and disrupting travel through vital waterways, similar to the Marine Corps’ modernization plans to counter powerful navies. The US Navy and coalition fleets have managed to block most Houthi attacks on ships, but at a high cost due to intercepting drones with expensive missiles. Many commercial ships are avoiding the Red Sea due to these attacks.
The Marine Corps has been undergoing an overhaul to counter naval powers like China through a plan called Force Design, which aims to make Marines lighter, more dispersed, and better at tracking enemies. Some criticism from retired Marine leaders has been voiced, while current Marine leaders argue that their decisions are backed by experiments and wargames. The Marines hope to emulate the Houthis’ ability to pose challenges to ships from land with sensors and missiles.
Although the Marine Corps is drawing lessons from combat operations, it is unclear to what extent insights from the Houthis’ operations are being implemented. Lessons from U.S. adversaries, such as the Houthis and Russia’s electronic jamming tactics, are being considered in their modernization plans. Ultimately, the ability to adapt and learn from enemy tactics has been a longstanding practice in warfare.
