attack has been preventing violence# from expanding across the region.

But, overnight, the U.S. launched# strikes at Iranian-backed groups in## both Iraq and Yemen following attacks# by those groups.

And once again today,## Houthi rebels fired missiles# at multiple American ships.

Nick Schifrin looks at the widening U.S.# military campaign and the threat posed by Ir NICK SCHIFRIN: Just after midnight in Iraq,# U.S. strikes targeted an Iranian-backed militia.## Two hours later, in Yemen, the U.S. military# targeted Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, strikes## in two different Middle Eastern countries against# two different Iranian-supported groups designed,## in the words of National Security Council# spokesman John Kirby, to prevent wider war JOHN KIRBY, NSC Coordinator For Strategic# Communications: We don't want to see the## conflict escalate.

We do for a war or conflict with anybody.# We're actually trying to NI CK SCHIFRIN: Iran's Revolutionary Guard# Corps has long supported what Iran calls## an axis of resistance to conduct# forward defense against its enemies.

In Iraq, that includes Kataib Hezbollah,# a Shia paramilitary group that the U.S.## labels terrorists, but is also part of the Iraqi# military that helped defeat ISIS.

Last weekend,## the U.S. military says the group fired# rockets and ballistic missiles at this## U.S. military base, Al Asad, causing --# quote -- "a number of American injuries."

The U.S. military says last night's# U.S. strikes target a Kataib Hezbollah## headquarters, storage and training sites.

JOHN KIRBY: We're not going to hesitate# to take necessary acti troops and our facilities, and we# will stay vigilant going NI CK SCHIFRIN: But Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed# Shia' -- "irresponsible escalation" after reiterating# a threat to push U.S. troops out of Iraq.

MOHAMMED SHIA' AL-SUDANI, Iraqi Prime Minister# (through translator): After the repercussions## and attacks on t start this dialogue immediately# in order to reach an agreement## on arranging a timetable for the end of# the mission of international ad NICK SCHIFRIN: In Yemen, the U.S. says# Iran provides the Houthis intelligence,## money and the advanced weapons that allow# the group to target international shippi 30 percent of global container traffic sails# through the Suez Canal via the Red Sea.

Dozens of Houthi attacks have forced# many ships to reroute around Africa,## driving up consumer prices and causing supply# chain delays.

The shipping company Maersk says## today's Houthi attacks targeted two# American ships, the Maersk Detroit## and the Maersk Chesapeake, as they carried# cargo for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Because of that cargo, they were being escorted# by U.S. Navy ships that shot down two Houthi## missiles.

To stop the missiles, the U.S.# hopes Beijing pressures Iran to rein in the## Houthis.

It's not clear if Beijing's willing# to help, but publicly today urged restraint.

WANG WENBIN, Chinese Foreign Ministry# Spokesman (through translator): China calls## urges relevant parties to refrain from# aggrav NICK SCHIFRIN: The U.S. and U.K. have# launched nearly 10 rounds of strikes on## the Houthis and vow to keep going,# said President Biden on Thursday JOE BIDEN, President of the United# States: Well, when you say working,## are they stopping the Houthis?

No NICK SCHIFRIN: Tonight, a# Houthi spokesman took credit## for today's attacks on American sh To discuss tensions in the region and the# U.S. response so far, we get two views.

Michael Doran was a senior director on the George# W. Bush National Security Council staff and now## directs the Center for Peace and Security# in the Middle East at the Hudson Institute,## a Washington think tank.

And Ali Vaez was# a senior political affairs officer at the## United Nations and is now the Iran Project# director at the International Crisis Group,## which describes itself as working to# prevent conflict around the world.

Thanks very much.

Welcome to both of you.

Michael Doran, let me start with What is your assessmen Iranian-backed groups?

Do you believe# that the strikes have been effective.

MICHAEL DORAN, Former National Security Council# Staffer: They're not going to do the job.

And the president basically just admitted that.# Forum that this is going to go on, they -- for# months.

That is, that is shipping through the## Red Sea and the Suez Canal will be disrupted# for months.

So, clearly, it's not working.

And if it's -- if this is Operation# Prosperity Guardian, we're not guarding it.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Ali Vaez, let# me ask you the same question.

What's your assessment so far AL I VAEZ, Iran Project Director, International# Crisis Group: Well, I agree that they're not## working, but because we're which is the war in Gaza.

Look, the reality is that the Houthis have# co alition for many years, and they have been# targeted with the same U.S. weapons that we## are now using against them for multiple# years, and they have never been deterred.

They're simply undeterrable.

They're capable.# They're determined.

They're zealots, and they have## very little to lose.

And, in fact, they have been# gaining in popularity at home as a result of thi and in stature internationally.

And we have had# the same experience in Iraq also for many years.

Using the military tool, Nick, is not# the solution here.

It is an option,## for sure, but it's not a solution.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Michael Doran,# are the Ho as Ali Vaez just said, and is the# military solution MICHAEL DORAN: No, they're human beings,## so they're d A little-reported fact is that the Houthis,# for the first time ever in the world,## used an anti-ship ballistic missile.

So# they debuted it in combat.

The Houthis,## who don't have a serious defense industrial base,## they're able to do this because the Iranians# are there providing th The IRGC general in Sanaa who's responsible# for this is Abdul Reza Shahlai, who is a -- who## is on our terrorist list because he# killed Americans in Iraq.

He's the## guy who orchestrated the attempt to kill Adel# Al-Jubeir, the Saudi ambassador So we have a guy who has a history of killing# Americans, of organizing attacks on American soil.## He's delivering these weapons to the Houthis.# If we held him responsible, we could deter them.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Ali Vaez, what about# that, holding Iranian officials in## Yemen responsible and indeed the Iranian# Revolutionary Guard Corps itself responsib ALI VAEZ: Look, Nick, again, there is# a long track record to look at here.

You remember when the U.S. killed# General Soleimani in 2020 in Baghdad,## we were told that deterrence is restored and now# Iran would no longer be able to project power in## the region.

In the past few weeks, Israel has# taken out multiple Iranian commanders in Syria,## as well as a Hamas commander in Beirut.

The# U.S. has taken out a Shia militia commander## in Baghdad, and it has been bombing# the Houthis now at least seven times.

So, again, there's a long track# record to look at here.

We had at## certain point 150,000 troops on both sides# of Iran's borders in Iraq and Afghanistan,## and yet we were not able to deter them.

Again,# the military option is not a solution to every## issue we have in that region, whereas, if you# look at last year, for instance, Iran and the## U.S. were engaged in quiet diplomacy that led# to a de-escalatory understanding between them,## which resulted in the longest period in which we# had no attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria.

Now, in the course of the past three-and-a-half# months since the war in Gaza started, we have had## more than 150 attacks on U.S. forces.

And so# the correlation is very simple to understand.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Michael Doran, take on# that last point, that it is diplomacy,## not military action, that creates de-escalation.

MICHAEL DORAN: Here's a conversation# that has n where the IRGC says, let's orchestrate# attacks against America and its alli all around the region, and the# supreme leader says, you know what,## there is no military option.

It just# doesn't work.

We should de-escalate.

They're the ones who escalated after# October 7.

They defined the conflict## in Gaza as a contest between Iran and# its resistance axis and the United## States.

The United States has tried to# de-escalate by responding and saying,## this is a conflict between Israel and# Hamas only.

They have not reciprocated.

I think we need to draw the conclusion# they're escalating.

The only way to make## them de-escalate is to take things# from them that they hold dear.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Ali Vaez, respond to that# fundamental point that Michael th at the tension is not about, as you said --# or the source of the tension is not about the## war in Gaza, but this is really about Iran# and its proxies versus the United States.

ALI VAEZ: Well, look, again, we had a period right## before the war in Gaza that we have had# no attacks And let me once again say that the reality here is## that we have a long track record of# testing both of these propositions,## diplomacy and military force.

And I remind# your viewers that we went into Afghanistan## and we spent trillions of dollars and 20 years# of war to replace the Taliban with the Taliban.

So we have to understand that there are# limits to the use of military force.## I'm not saying that these are good# people and we should not do anything,## but I'm saying use of force# is not useful unless and## until we have a realistic and achievable# diplomatic solution and an endgame here.

And I'm not seeing any of that.

Both Iran and# the United States are acting as arsonists and## firefighters at the same time.

I believe neither# of them has an interest in expansion of the war,## but, unfortunately, there's no diplomacy# here to try to actually bring this to an end.

NICK SCHIFRIN: We have only# got about 45 seconds left.

So, just in the time we have ab out Iraq quickly.

Could these strikes lead# to the expulsion of U.S. tro MICHAEL DORAN: It's certainly possible, but# everyone in the region is watching this and## they're watching to see if the United States is# going to protect itself and protect its allies.

The United States is under direct# attack by proxies of Iran that are## under the command-and-control of# Iran.

If we do not defend ourselves## and we don't defend our allies, then# everyone in the region is going to## draw the conclusion that we're not going to# defend them.

If we won't we certainly won't defend them.

And they# will hedge toward Iran and toward China.

One of the most perverse things we hear# is that the United States is asking China,## our global rival, to help us with Iran.# How is that possibly going to work?

NICK SCHIFRIN: Ali Vaez, quickly,## should the U.S. be concerned AL I VAEZ: It is quite possible,# although I have to say it seems## that the Iraqi government itself does want# the U.S. to remain in don't see another reemergence of# ISIS or another radical group.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Yes.

ALI VAEZ: So that is working in our favor.

But as long as the tensions# in the region are th e risk of U.S. fatalities,# I think, remains pretty high.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Yes.

MICHAEL DORAN: Thank you.