TEHRAN – Yemeni forces have launched new, advanced military operations as American media shifts focus to the mounting costs of America’s bombing campaign.

American outlets say President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Yemen has cost nearly $1 billion in less than three weeks.

According to sources cited by CNN, the bombing campaign that began on March 15 and killed scores of civilians has had limited success in weakening the capabilities of the Yemeni Armed Forces.

Officials from the Pentagon’s Joint Staff, U.S. Central Command, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, and the State Department acknowledged to Congress that Yemeni forces have continued to fortify bunkers and maintain underground weapons stockpiles. 

U.S. media reports indicate that these tactics resemble those used during the year-long strikes carried out under the Biden administration.

On Wednesday evening, the Yemeni Armed Forces revealed that their UAV unit had struck a military site in Tel Aviv. 

In a statement, they declared the operation was carried out “in support of the oppressed Palestinian people and their brave fighters, and in response to the ongoing genocide against our brothers in Gaza.” 

The statement also condemned ongoing U.S. aggression in Yemen, emphasizing that Yemeni forces remain engaged in direct confrontation. 

“In response to the crimes committed against civilians in several governorates, our Air Force conducted a precision operation targeting multiple enemy warships, led by the U.S. aircraft carrier Truman, in the northern Red Sea, using several drones,” the statement said. 

Yemeni officials reaffirmed their commitment to the military support front in solidarity with Gaza. 

“Yemen will never abandon the oppressed Palestinian people, nor will it surrender to American aggression. Yemen remains, as always, a graveyard for invaders,” the statement added. 

Earlier on Wednesday, Yemeni Armed Forces announced the downing of another U.S.-made MQ-9 reconnaissance drone over the al-Jawf region, using a domestically produced surface-to-air missile. 

Brigadier General Yahya Saree confirmed it was the 18th U.S. MQ-9 drone shot down since November 2023, and the third in just ten days. The drone carries a price tag to the tune of approximately $35mn each. 

He stressed that this was another response to the continued U.S. aggression, including recent airstrikes that caused civilian deaths, injuries, and widespread property damage. 

Saree added that Yemeni forces are “fully prepared to respond decisively to any attempt to undermine Yemen’s sovereignty, security, or stability,” and that operations will continue until “the aggression on Gaza ends and the blockade is lifted.” 

Meanwhile, U.S. airstrikes on Wednesday targeted the capital, Sanaa, and several other provinces in the early morning hours. 

On Tuesday, additional U.S. strikes hit coastal areas of Hudaydah and two other cities in western Yemen, resulting in further casualties. 

Despite the escalation, Yemeni forces continue to enforce a blockade on Israeli and American maritime traffic within a designated operational zone that spans the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden. 

A Yemeni official also warned of “upcoming surprises” targeting U.S. Navy Forces and the Israeli regime. 

As the U.S. assault on Yemen approaches its fourth week, the costs continue to mount. However, Washington has done little to curb Yemeni operations carried out in solidarity with Gaza.