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The Signal chats were only the start.

The American military has quietly built up forces in the Middle East to levels not seen since the War in Afghanistan, as Yemen’s government reportedly prepares for an offensive with 80,000 soldiers.

The alleged target: Hodeidah, a strategic port city and Houthi stronghold, from which militants have repeatedly attacked ships in the Red Sea.

Hunterbrook Media’s investigation of flight tracking data, satellite imagery, and military communications shows a fivefold surge in U.S. military cargo flights since March; strategic bomber deployments; and advanced missile defense systems being positioned throughout the region.

The accumulation of force appeared to go largely under the radar amid headlines about tariffs, the Ukraine war, and looming authoritarianism — until late last night when The Wall Street Journal scooped the story. Yemeni and U.S. officials told the paper that U.S. strikes on Yemen had paved the way for an “opportunity to oust the Houthis from at least parts of the Red Sea coast they have controlled in the decade since they took power over much of the country’s northwest.” This mirrored reporting from Emirati state media.

On Monday, regional media reported 15 airstrikes from U.S. warplanes in Ragwan and Madghal, bringing the total number of strikes to over 350 since March 15. The strike campaign continued after U.S. Central Command Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla met with Yemeni Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Sagheer Hamoud Ahmed Aziz in Saudi Arabia earlier this month.

A decision on whether the U.S. will support a ground operation against the Houthis “hasn’t been made yet,” according to officials who spoke with the Journal.

The looming conflict between Yemeni militias and the Iran-backed Houthis also comes amid nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, which are set to resume over the weekend.