Berlingske Tidende: He has both sources and analysts in Yemen: The attacks wear down the Houthis - but something else is needed to stop the missiles

A US Navy F/A-18 fighter jet taking off at night prior to the 2024 Yemeni airstrikes. Image: U.S. Air Force Photo / Wikimedia Commons

In a recent interview with the Danish daily, Berlingske Tidende, Hans Tino Hansen, the CEO of Risk Intelligence, provides insights into the impact of international coalition airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, emphasising the need for negotiations to achieve a comprehensive solution.

07 February 2024

The original release date of the article was on 04 February 2024, as published by Berlingske.

The article discusses the recent airstrikes by the United States and Britain on 30 Houthi targets in Yemen, aiming to curb the group's impact on global trade.

Hans Tino Hansen, CEO of Risk Intelligence, notes that while the attacks are wearing down the Houthis on the tactical level, a comprehensive solution requires more than airstrikes, and that the Houthi intent will not change because of the strikes. Hansen emphasises the need to target launch ramps, radar positions, and communication systems, gradually depleting Houthi capacity. Despite the relative tactical success, he believes negotiations are essential, as the offensive operations alone cannot dismantle the Houthi military, suggesting that the West needs to engage with them directly or indirectly.

Hansen also highlights the consistent targeting of specific ships by the Houthis and the impact on global trade in the Red Sea, with fewer merchant ships navigating the region. He suggests that the Houthi-controlled region in northern Yemen, being a de facto state that cannot be defeated solely through military means, makes negotiations inevitable.

Read Berlingske’s article in full here (paywall).

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