Politics
Yemen’s Houthi movement has reportedly offered Saudi Arabia a deal to halt its attacks,
Yemen’s Houthi movement has reportedly offered Saudi Arabia a deal to halt its attacks, demanding $51 billion in compensation and formal recognition as Yemen’s governing authority in return for an agreement to end hostilities. According to The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the negotiations, Saudi Arabia had contacted the Houthis to explore what kind of agreement might be possible to stop the attacks. The contact came after the Houthis launched attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and seized strategically important areas near the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
According to the report, the Houthis said their $51 billion demand was intended to compensate for damage caused by Saudi airstrikes and a prolonged blockade. Various other financial demands subsequently emerged, but the Houthis' central message was that Saudi Arabia would have to spend tens of billions of dollars to bring the conflict to an end. The report said fighting intensified again during the summer, when the Houthis targeted Saudi oil facilities and airports and seized additional strategically important areas in Yemen. The group has now advanced to within approximately 50 miles of Aden, the seat of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
This is reportedly the closest the Houthis have come to Aden since 2015. According to a senior analyst at the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), the Houthis carried out attacks against Saudi Arabia almost daily in October, targeting civilian airports and facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco. The organization reported 26 incidents of attacks inside Saudi Arabia in recent days. Meanwhile, at least 75 people were killed and more than 200 injured in a Houthi attack in Yemen’s Shabwa province. According to the report, this was the deadliest incident since the civil war began escalating again.
Experts speaking to The Wall Street Journal said that deploying additional ground forces against the Houthis would be a difficult decision for Saudi Arabia. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly does not want to enter comprehensive negotiations without making further progress on the battlefield. However, additional military operations could result in casualties and provoke domestic backlash. According to experts, the Houthis’ strong position on the ground and their attacks on Saudi civilian and energy infrastructure could undermine investor confidence. A U.S. military expert also pointed out that Saudi Arabia has been forced to deploy its Patriot missile defense systems and other air defense assets to counter potential threats from Iran, Iraqi militias and the Houthis.
