May 1, 2015 9 News & Analysis Campaign Political solution appears elusive as fighting continues in Yemen

Mohammed Alkhereiji exiled foreign minister, Riyadh Ya- seen, rejected calls for peace talks by former President Ali Abdullah London Saleh. “These calls are unacceptable after all the destruction Ali Abdullah ith Yemen still vola- Saleh has caused. There can be no tile, Saudi Arabia place for Saleh in any future political and its allies have talks,” the foreign minister said in a once again ramped news conference in London. up their air cam- With the spike in military opera- Wpaign against Iranian-allied Houthi tions, the question arises of where militias. this leaves the much-needed politi- Arab coalition forces conducted a cal process. series of air strikes on Sana’a for the “Currently both sides are insist- first time since scaling back military ent on not giving in to the other’s operations. There were at least five demands,” said Hakim Almasmari, air strikes on military positions and publisher and editor-in-chief of an area near the presidential palace Yemen Post. “This will lead to a new compound at dawn on April 26th civil war in Yemen or a new Iran- while warships pounded an area Saudi proxy war.” near the port of the southern city of Regarding what the Houthis want, , Reuters reported. Almasmari, told The Arab Weekly: After nearly four weeks of military “They have no demands. They are action, Saudi Arabia and its coalition not the oppressed side. They con- partners, at the request of Yemen’s tinue to expand in new provinces, President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, taking over new territories that were decided to cut back on military op- never under their control to begin erations and launch Operation Re- with. newal of Hope, which, according to “The Saudis are demanding they the Saudi government, is designed evacuate these areas and the Hou- to enhance humanitarian and medi- this are not, which is the reason cal assistance to the Yemeni people, these air strikes are continuing. kick-start the political process based As long as the Houthis continue to on UN Security Council Resolution spread, Yemen will pay the price.” Arms still speak louder than words 2216, the GCC Initiative and the out- On whether Iran can play a posi- come of the Yemeni National Dia- tive role in trying to resolve the con- logue. flict, Almasmari stressed that “Iran southern secessionists. anti-tank weaponry. Crew members ligerence has been reflected in both is playing a role in Yemen right know Feierstein revealed that exiled on the ship were weapons experts words and deeds. They even reject- As long as the and the Houthis continue their ac- former leader of the Yemeni Social- travelling to Yemen to replace Ira- ed the UNSC resolution.” Nazer told Houthis continue to tivities because of the role of Iran, ist Party, Ali Salem al-Beidh, was re- nian fighters who were injured fight- The Arab Weekly. spread, Yemen will any further intervention from Iran ceiving financial support from Iran ing alongside the Houthis. The Saudi security analyst went is going to make it worse because and that there was “no doubt that On whether the Houthis are re- on to say that the recent televised pay the price we’ve reached this point only be- he is responsible for efforts to foil ally looking for a peaceful political address by their leader Abdul Malik cause of Iranian intervention. What the Gulf initiative (for democratic solution, Fahad Nazer, a political al-Houthi seemed to blame every- But a few hours after the launch of Yemen really needs is compromise transition in Yemen) by supporting analyst with JTG, Inc highlighted one — especially Saudi Arabia and the initiative, Houthi rebels seized within its political factions, who are the calls for secession”. that the Security Council resolution the United States — for the current a brigade base from forces loyal to looking for followers and not part- Additionally, Iran’s military sup- on Yemen, which passed almost crisis in Yemen but refused to ac- Hadi, which led to the resumption ners, and that is something we Yem- port of the Houthis has also been unanimously, reflects the prevailing knowledge any wrongdoing on his of air strikes. Meanwhile, Saudi enis reject.” thoroughly detailed. In January 2013 sentiment in the international com- part. Arabia’s National Guard entered the Iran’s involvement in Yemen has Yemeni authorities with the help of munity and puts most of the blame “The Houthis and their allies, fray for the first time, arriving in the been well documented and its ef- the US intercepted an Iranian for the current turmoil in Yemen on including former President Saleh, southern Najran region. The king- forts to destabilise the country ship off the cost of Yemen carrying a the Houthi rebels and their allies. have to put the well-being and se- dom’s elite fighting force is there to were never limited to its support of cache of weapons that included sur- “The Houthis don’t appear to curity of the people of Yemen first protect the southern border of Saudi the Houthis. face-to-air missiles intended for the believe in the efficacy of peaceful and realise that they cannot adopt Arabia against potential threats, ac- In 2013, US Ambassador to Yemen Houthi rebels. And in October 2009, resolution of conflicts and seem to the ‘It’s my way or the highway’ ap- cording to the official Saudi Press Gerald Feierstein accused Iran of Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya news chan- want to impose their will on the rest proach indefinitely. They have to Agency. actively trying to undermine the nel reported that the of Yemen through the use of force. make compromises, like everyone Adding to the situation, Yemen’s Yemeni government by supporting stopped an Iranian vessel carrying The Houthis’ intransigence and bel- else,” Nazer added. Stalemate by US, Iranian off Yemen – but for how long?

Viewpoint Beirut time, however, neither Washing- ensure there’s freedom of naviga- less concerned about the Houthis ton nor Tehran had any interest in tion through those critical water- The US and than in the prospect that the con- he unresolved conflict a showdown over Yemen, where ways and to help ensure maritime tinued Yemen unrest will enhance in Yemen raised Saudi Arabia and its regional allies security”. Iranian the position of the local al-Qaeda tensions in interna- have taken the lead in the anti- Warren did not refer to news re- fleets will franchise, al-Qaeda in the Arabian tional waters off the Houthi campaign. ports that the Iranian cargo convoy be keeping a Peninsula (AQAP). “Ironically, the Arabian Peninsula By the time the Pentagon an- might be trying to deliver weapons most effective force against AQAP amid claims that Iran nounced on April 21st that the to the Houthis and said the Iranian wary eye on in Yemen has so far been the Hou- Tdispatched a cargo fleet to ferry aircraft carrier USS Theodore vessels had so far demonstrated each other this, and vice versa,” according to weapons to the Shia Houthi Roosevelt and the guided-missile no threat. Tehran, like Washing- in regional a current intelligence briefing from Harvey fighters controlling northern cruiser USS Normandy had entered ton, invariably explains its naval waters the New York-based Soufan Group Morris Yemen. the Arabian Sea in response to the deployments in regional waters as consultancy. As an Iranian destroyer and deteriorating security situation in part of measures to guarantee the The US administration’s interest other vessels headed to Yemeni Yemen, Saudi Arabia was preparing security of international shipping. now lies in avoiding a direct role in waters, where a Saudi-led coalition its own announcement that it was Both navies have indeed been the Yemen conflict — least of all a is maintaining a naval blockade, suspending a month-long bombing involved in safeguarding regional naval confrontation with the Irani- the Pentagon announced the campaign against the Houthis. waters, in part against the assaults ans — while pressing for a political United States was also beefing up The suspension, which turned of Somali pirates on merchant settlement. its presence in the Arabian Sea. out to be temporary, was wel- shipping. That continued to look doubt- Although the scene appeared comed by both Washington and A US destroyer even rescued an ful this week as Saudi coalition set for a confrontation on the high Tehran. The United States retro- Iranian fishing boat from pirates in air strikes continued despite the seas, the crisis dissipated almost spectively backed the Saudi-led early 2012 and an Iranian warship previous announcement of their as rapidly as it arose. Two days Operation Decisive Storm against returned the compliment a few suspension. “Operation Decisive after US reinforcements were an- the Houthis but officials expressed months later by chasing away raid- Storm has not ended,” Yemeni For- nounced on April 21st, the flotilla limited enthusiasm if not plain ers who targeted a US-flagged ship. eign Minister Riyadh Yaseen said of nine Iranian cargo ships was hostility towards an initiative Tehran and Washington have April 26th, referring to the Saudi- reported to be moving away from launched unilaterally by Riyadh. an interest in maintaining such led campaign. “There will be no the Yemeni coast. US and other Western officials have symbolic harmony. Their wider deal with the Houthis whatsoever The outcome looked like questioned Saudi claims about the strategic concern at the moment until they withdraw from areas vindication of the United State’s extent of Iranian support for the is in keeping up the momentum under their control.” familiar minatory tactics — Houthi rebels and some are scepti- towards securing a final deal on While the stalemate persists, diplomatic speak for what its cal about Riyadh’s insistence the the future of Iran’s nuclear pro- the US and Iranian fleets will be opponents might more readily rebellion is part of a grand scheme gramme. A naval confrontation keeping a wary eye on each other describe as bullying. This by Tehran to dominate the entire over Yemen would scarcely con- in regional waters, but avoiding region. tribute to that. The decision of the any move that might prompt an This caution was reflected in the Obama administration formally to escalation. The US administration’s Pentagon announcement of naval side with the Saudis over its Yemen interest now lies in avoiding reinforcements. US Army Colonel bombing campaign may have been Harvey Morris has worked in the Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokes- in part a gesture to appease Saudi Middle East for many years and a direct role in the Yemen man, said the additional warships concerns about a US shift in Iran’s written several books, including conflict had “a very clear mission to ensure favour on the nuclear issue. No Friends but the Mountains that shipping lanes remain open, to In reality, Washington may be published in 1989.