U.S. Bombing of Yemen Cost Over $1 Billion in 2 Months Of A Failed Campaign

New details emerged Thursday revealing that the recently concluded U.S. bombing campaign in Yemen cost over $1 billion in just 53 days, with limited strategic gains and growing concerns about depleted munitions.

According to a report by NBC News, the military operation—which ran from March 15 until its halt this Tuesday—included nearly $770 million worth of high-precision bombs and missiles. These munitions are increasingly scarce due to extensive arms transfers to Ukraine and Israel over the last three years.

The reported figure excludes earlier strikes carried out under the Biden administration from January 12 to January 17, following a brief ceasefire in Gaza. It also does not account for additional losses sustained during the campaign, including seven MQ-9 Reaper drones (each valued at $30 million) and two F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets (approximately $70 million apiece).

Throughout the campaign, early reports highlighted the escalating costs and the rapid depletion of critical munitions, all while delivering limited results. A Trump administration official quoted by NBC stated, “The administration was clearly looking for an off-ramp for this campaign against the Houthis.”

The ceasefire agreement reached Tuesday between the U.S. and Yemen’s Ansar-Allah movement notably does not require the group to halt missile strikes against Israel or stop targeting Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea. Instead, the agreement only secured a pledge by Ansar-Allah to cease attacks on U.S. naval assets—strikes that began only after American forces commenced bombing on March 15.

The stated objectives of the Trump administration’s operation were to secure Red Sea shipping lanes and halt attacks on Israel. However, the ceasefire terms fell short of those goals, raising further questions about the campaign's effectiveness.

The revelations came the same day as reports emerged that President Donald Trump has decided to move forward with his Middle East agenda without coordinating with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump is said to have cut off direct contact with Netanyahu over frustrations that the Israeli leader was attempting to obstruct or manipulate U.S. policy in the region.