“They continue to surprise us,” said one senior defense official, referring to the Houthis.
Officials also believe Iran instructed the groups to back off the attacks following the US strikes.
The issue is becoming more acute, especially given the notable increase in Houthi attacks over the last two days.
At the same time, the Houthis also crave international legitimacy, officials said, and want to be recognized as the official Yemeni government.
Still, there are no signs yet that Iran is actively withholding support from the Houthis, officials said.
Persons:
CNN —, Biden, “, Sabrina Singh, ”, —, Marc Miguez, Israel, Privately, Matthew Miller, Singh, ” Singh
Organizations:
CNN, Pentagon, Central Command, Carrier Strike, Yemeni, Saudi, State Department, US, Prosperity
Locations:
Iran, Yemen, Gulf, Aden, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Baghdad, Gaza, Israel, Red, Oman, Bahrain