Instead of targeting missile depots or weapons caches, the U.S. is now concentrating on destroying the Houthis' wired and optical military communication infrastructure in areas under their control. The goal is to disable these secure networks and force the Houthis to rely on wireless communication, which is far more vulnerable to interception by American spy satellites and naval surveillance systems.

This strategic shift comes in response to the Houthis’ continued firing of ballistic missiles at Israel—despite U.S. assurances to prevent such attacks and avoid an Israeli retaliatory strike on Yemen. So far, however, the U.S. has failed to thwart these launches or gather advance warning.

The intelligence gap is attributed to the low quality of tactical intelligence (SIGINT/COMINT), with airborne and maritime surveillance unable to detect launch preparations in time. As a result, CENTCOM has decided to shift its target list, focusing now on dismantling secure communication systems, particularly those developed with Iranian support—similar to Hezbollah’s network in Lebanon.

While Israel has spent years penetrating Hezbollah's secure communications and scored major intelligence breakthroughs, the U.S. has not developed a similar capability in Yemen. This leaves them operating almost blindly when it comes to detecting imminent missile or drone attacks on Israel.

Efforts are now underway to upgrade intelligence-gathering capabilities. Whether this new approach will succeed remains to be seen—results may emerge within days.