On May 2nd, Prince Turki Al Faisal expressed Saudi Arabia’s disappointment in the lack of support from the United States against the Houthis. With the U.S.’s declining commitment to the Saudi-led coalition, many Saudis are concerned about security threats and increased acts of violence from the Houthis. 

 Prince Al Faisal, Saudi’s former intelligence chief, states, “Saudis consider the relationship as being strategic, but [feel] as being let down at a time when we thought that America and Saudi Arabia should be together in facing what we would consider to be a joint, not just irritant, but danger to the stability and security of the area.” He continues to say that the U.S. is attempting to outcast Saudi Arabia, citing Biden’s decision to end support for the Saudi-led Coalition and the withdrawal of U.S. anti-missile systems from the nation. 

Since the beginning of the seven-year war waged on Yemen, there have been tens of thousands of civilian casualties and the displacement of over 4 million people (OCHA). As Prince Al Faisal and other Saudi officials frame Houthis as the aggressors, they refuse to acknowledge the brutalities committed by Saudi Arabia. The fear of stability and security is not limited to Saudis as Yemen has been repeatedly bombed, resulting in high rates of casualties, injuries, starvation, poverty, and disease. In January 2022, the Saudi-led coalition launched retaliatory attacks following ten drone strikes by the Houthis. In comparison to the ten drone strikes, there were 839 airstrikes by the coalition against Yemen. The scales of violence are incomparable as one is a superpower that disproportionately bombs the other. All parties involved in this conflict are guilty of war crimes, so the vilification of solely the Houthis is a crude act of reductionism and denial of accountability. 

Moreover, the call for increased U.S. involvement in the crisis is counterproductive. The U.S. invasion of the Middle East in the early 2000s was a prominent factor in the radicalization of various ideological groups. This invasion resulted in the deaths, wounding, and displacement of millions of Iraqis, destabilizing the region. Anti-Western sentiments arose as citizens were exposed to constant violence. This negative perception of the West and the desire to protect their home by any means necessary led to the creation of radical groups. Thus, the increased involvement of the United States will only escalate the conflict and intensify the resentment of those at receiving end of the strikes. Rather than intervention, a comprehensive and non-violent approach in which the various players converse and create a sustainable plan that ensures the well-being of Yemenis is needed.

The Houthis are Zaydi Shiites, a religious minority among Muslims, and emerged as a means of resistance to the corruption and inadequacy of the Yemeni government. In 2014, the Houthi movement ousted President Hadi and seized control over Sana’a. In response, a Saudi-led coalition that backed the ousted president was formed to intervene against the Houthis and regain control in 2015. As a means of assistance, the United States and other Western powers provide the coalition with intelligence information and weapons. This intervention and the start of the war in Yemen have had devastating impacts on the nation. The Saudi-led coalition has systematically attacked civilian infrastructures such as hospitals and schools, killing over 377,000 people and injuring more. Currently, the crisis in Yemen is considered one of the worst humanitarian disasters to exist as millions are starving and require aid. And despite the U.S’s initial disengagement, the United States has increased military support for the Saudi-led coalition to mend ties with Saudi Arabia (Reuters). 

The war in Yemen has ravaged the nation and torn it apart. Casualties continue to rise and political instability persists. Just this January, airstrikes in Sa’dah killed 91 and injured 226 civilians. With the escalation of the conflict, projected death tolls are expected to increase, yet Yemen has received limited visibility and the international community has been largely complicit or silent. This conflict, framed as resistance to terrorism and security threats, has stolen more lives than it has saved. It was never about the people. This conflict is a means to consolidate power and is fueled by elites who are detached from the realities of war. In skirmishes among the elite, innocent civilians will always bear the brunt of the violence.