🇺🇸🇾🇪⚡️ — A Pentagon dispute in early 2025 foreshadowed today’s U.S. munitions shortages, with senior officials warning that a major campaign against Yemen’s Houthis (Ansarallah) could significantly drain critical missile and interceptor stockpiles, according to WaPo.

Then-CENTCOM commander Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla pushed strongly for military action against both the Houthis and Iran, clashing with Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., who favored further assessments.

When Brown suggested more analysis, Kurilla responded: “General, the time for assessments is over.” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth sided with Kurilla.

Trump subsequently launched Operation Rough Rider in March 2025, with U.S. forces striking more than 1,000 Houthi targets during a 51-day campaign. Some senior officials questioned whether the campaign had clearly achievable objectives.

The earlier concerns centered on stocks of weapons including Tomahawk cruise missiles and Patriot interceptors. Those concerns have since intensified after unprecedented quantities were consumed during the ongoing Iran war.