Local Editor
For the Obama administration, the missile strikes also highlighted the risks of a balancing strategy it has tried to pursue in Yemen since the war started against the country two years ago.
The United States has not formally joined the Saudi-led coalition that intervened in support of Yemen’s deposed government - and has tried to push the warring factions toward a peace deal - but it has refueled coalition bombers, trained Saudi pilots and provided intelligence to the bombing campaign.
A year and a half of bombing - along with the deaths of thousands of Yemeni civilians - has stoked anger in Yemen not only toward the Saudis, but also toward their perceived patrons in Washington.
This week’s attacks on the Mason, an American destroyer, and the Pentagon’s response show how rapidly the United States can go from being an uneasy supporting player to an active participant in a chaotic war.
"The Americans have been patronizing and directing the war from the very beginning," said Brig. Gen. Sharaf Luqman, a spokesman for the Yemeni army alliance.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
