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The "whatever reason" is all the stuff Israel is experiencing trying to turn Hamas into chunky salsa.
International opprobrium isn't something that can just be written off.
They'd accrue less opprobrium when they're doing it for a clear goal (restore international shipping) rather than without a clearer objective than retaliation. And, I'm sure the countries wouldn't mind lower shipping costs too much.
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Eh, Putin can, and he's in a much worse situation. The US could handle a lot more opprobrium than it gets without much material damage. And did, during the Trump years, just because Trump. It's the USs image of itself (or Biden's image of the US) that's holding us back, that and Biden's (IMO reasonable) desire not to get into a long war in Yemen right after getting out of Afghanistan.
The US really wouldn't suffer much in the way of PR if we got a LOT more aggressive with the Houthis, at least if it was effective. It's not like they're particularly well-loved.
I'd like the "series of massive punitive raids" strategy tried out. I think it could have done the job in Afghanistan, and will work with the Houthis. They fire on shipping, the US kills everyone it can find involved in that operation. All the way to the top. Eventually someone will come to power who doesn't fire on shipping.
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