If the Houthis want war, they will have it. If not, then not. If they want to attack ARAMCO, they will attack it. If they don't, they won't. There is no gamesmanship, no taking of bait. There is only attack and counterattack. Eventually, medievalist Islamists must become irrelevant. They can do that my joining the modern world or by provoking their extermination. Being medieval thinkers, they may in fact choose the latter. I share their desire for their martyrdom.

By attacking shipping in the Red Sea, and American warships, the Houthis have made this war not "someone else's war." Why they would want that result isn't clear, but they apparently do want it, and they have it. Maybe it's because the Houthis are just Iran's cats paw. So the question becomes whether Iran wants war with the USA, and the USA should make this clear by bombing Iranian targets rather than Houthi targets. Closing Iran's checkbook should be the USA's tactical approach.