The U.S. called it a success. Trump claimed the Houthis “don’t want to fight.” But behind the ceasefire in the Red Sea lies a story of military missteps, lost jets, downed drones, and over $1 billion spent, with little to show for it. Operation Rough Rider was meant to crush the Iran-backed Houthis. Instead, it exposed cracks in America’s military strategy, left allies in the dark, and handed rebels a propaganda win. Palki Sharma tells you why.