Saudi Arabia Says in 'Robust Dialogue' With US to End War in Yemen

Riyadh organised a coalition of Gulf countries to invade Yemen in 2015, with the goal of supporting ousted President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and help him defeat the Houthi rebels.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud said that Riyadh and Washington are engaged in a "robust dialogue" on ending the military conflict in Yemen, Reuters reported. The details of the dialogue and what it entails remain unclear.

The US provided intelligence support for the Saudi coalition operating in Yemen since 2015, with the goal of defeating the Houthi forces and reinstating President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, whom they had ousted in 2014. Washington also sold weapons to two members of the coalition – Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

However, the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen, purportedly caused by the coalition's actions and embargo, prompted US lawmakers in 2019 to demand a cessation of arms sales to these countries. While the Trump administration blocked the initiative, his successor, President Joe Biden halted arms sales to one of the states – Saudi Arabia in January 2021.

Despite the more than five-year involvement by Gulf countries in the conflict, they have been unable to dislodge the Houthis, who continue to control the western part of the country, including its capital Sanaa.