Bombing Yemen: Signalgate Deserves to Be a Major Scandal

Signalgate, the massive intelligence breach involving informal chats and leaked military information, has dominated headlines. The scandal is shocking, violating fundamental intelligence protocols: discussions of targets and attack plans on unsecured channels, and the use of a system that automatically deletes records, bypassing the National Archives. This incompetence is a major breach, potentially leading to significant repercussions, perhaps even overshadowing the scandal itself. However, a far more critical consequence, already resulting in devastating loss of life, is being tragically overlooked: the ongoing US bombing campaign in Yemen.

The US bombing of Yemen, frequently framed as targeting Iran-backed Houthi rebels, has inflicted immense suffering on civilians. As in Gaza, strikes on civilian infrastructure and populations facing widespread starvation have resulted in countless deaths, including an unknown but significant number of children. These attacks, begun under the Biden administration in January 2024, occurred across the country, targeting major cities like Sanaa and Hodeidah. While some strikes may have targeted Houthi military personnel or equipment (Ansar Allah), the overwhelming impact has been the slaughter of innocent Yemeni civilians.

The Houthis' actions, including a naval blockade in the Red Sea aimed at Israeli ships and disrupting commercial vessels suspected of carrying military supplies to Israel, were ostensibly the pretext for the US intervention, in support of Israel during its assault on Gaza. The economic disruption caused by the blockade failed to deter the Biden administration from enabling Israel’s actions. Significantly, when a ceasefire was agreed upon between Israel and Hamas on January 19, 2025, the Houthis also ceased their attacks, highlighting the potential for de-escalation had the US not intervened militarily. The focus on Signalgate risks overshadowing the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Yemen, a crisis directly fueled by US military actions.