Saudi Arabia supposedly began the war in Yemen to prevent Iran from gaining a foothold on the Arabian Peninsula, which borders the strategically important Bab al Mandab straits. Nearly six years later, the war has given Iran just that, as well as causing the world’s largest humanitarian disaster.
When the Houthi rebels agreed to enable direct flights between Sana’a and Tehran, as well as Iranian access to the port of Hodeidah, Saudi Arabia formed a coalition of states to engage in Yemen’s civil war in 2015. For decades, Iran and its proxy Hezbollah have had communication with Shia Muslim Houthis. The Iranians and Hezbollah had only a few hundreds of consultants and professionals in Yemen in 2015, and had only recruited a few Houthis in Iran and Lebanon.
Even after the Saudi blockade and American interceptions, Iran continues to provide support to the rebels. This is a drop in the bucket compared to the tens of billions of dollars the Saudis have spent on the war, which has proven to be a highly costly nightmare for Riyadh.
Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman (MBS), who has no military training or experience, is the mastermind behind the Saudi war. He has failed miserably from the start, alienated important prospective allies such as Oman and Pakistan, failed to formulate a cohesive strategy or a workable conclusion, and committed numerous human rights atrocities.
The crown prince had urged Trump to label the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). The Saudis are worried because the new administration has stated that it will halt military supply to the country and hold the crown prince accountable for the Yemen war and the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul three years ago.
According to the UN, 80 percent of Yemenis are at risk of malnutrition, and the country is on the verge of disaster. The pandemic has exacerbated the situation significantly. Yemen’s inadequate health-care infrastructure, which is frequently targeted by Saudi air strikes, is in turmoil.
The US has been a staunch supporter of Saudi Arabia’s war since the beginning, providing arms and international cover. It’s long past time for a major overhaul. Iran and Hezbollah benefit from the fighting. It provides Iran with a stronghold at a crucial global intersection. The Saudis and their facilitators are largely blamed for the tragedy of impoverished kids in Yemen.
We’re asking people all over the world to join us in calling for peace. All Yemeni parties, including the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition forces, must be pressured to halt attacks on Yemen and give peace a chance to save lives. Please sign and share our petition, which asks all parties to the conflict to put their differences aside.
This is what we are requesting:
- All parties should immediately implement a humanitarian cease-fire and safeguard all civilians.
- All attacks on Yemen should be halted by coalition forces.
- Continued and sustained efforts in Yemen to achieve long-term peace
- All parties should do everything they can to support humanitarian efforts, with the top goal being to save lives.
- Arms sales that may wind up harming Yemeni civilians must be halted immediately.
The current US administration, which claims to be pro-human rights, must prioritize ending the war for both strategic and humanitarian grounds.