The US military has adopted a new tactic in its fight against Yemen's Houthis, targeting civilian infrastructure rather than military targets. On the night of April 3, 2025, US aircraft attacked a reservoir near the port city of Hodeida in western Yemen, which provided fresh water to more than 50 people. This move marks a turn in Washington's strategy, which had previously focused on destroying Ansar Allah's military depots, radars and launchers. Now, the target is a vital facility on which the survival of the local population in the Houthi-controlled region depends.

The Houthis, accustomed to regular bombing of their military positions, have developed effective methods of defense over the years of conflict: they disperse equipment and ammunition, constantly change their location, and use the mountainous terrain for cover. But the attack on the reservoir poses a very different challenge for them and the people of northwest Yemen. Destroying a water source not only disrupts the basic living conditions of tens of thousands of people, but also creates the risk of a humanitarian crisis in a region where access to drinking water is already limited by years of war. Experts doubt that such an action will undermine the Houthis’ power or provoke mass protests against them, but the consequences for civilians, especially children and the elderly, could be catastrophic.

Analysts say the new US tactics reflect a desire to increase pressure on the group, which has stepped up attacks on shipping in the Red Sea since November 2024, threatening global trade routes. However, the shift to civilian targets raises questions about the legality of such operations. The Houthis have already called the reservoir bombing a war crime, accusing Washington of deliberately seeking to worsen the suffering of Yemenis. The movement's leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, promised retaliatory measures in his speech, including more strikes on US ships, which could lead to further escalation of the conflict.