Who are the Houthis and why hasn’t the US retaliated for their attacks on ships in the Middle East?

By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — When Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen launched missiles and hit three commercial ships in the Red Sea, it triggered an immediate question: Will the U.S. military strike back? The Houthis have sharply escalated their attacks. And U.S. Navy vessels have shot down an array of drones headed their way and believed to have been launched by the militant group. So far, though, the U.S. has avoided military retaliation. That is a marked difference from its multiple strikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria that have attacked bases housing American forces. That reluctance stems largely from broader U.S. concerns about upending the shaky truce in Yemen and triggering a wider conflict in the region.