Yemen Teeters on Civil War as Regional Stability Hangs in the Balance
New York Times · LC · trust 27/100
While the Middle East waits to hear whether a deal can be reached to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the Yemeni government’s conflict with Iran-backed Houthi rebels escalated overnight.
Listen · 5:02 min Share full article Damage at the Mail al-Saila camp for internally displaced people, on the outskirts of Marib, Yemen, on Friday. Credit... Agence France-Presse — Getty Images By Ismaeel Naar and Aaron Boxerman
Ismaeel Naar reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Aaron Boxerman from Jerusalem.
The escalation reflected how the stability of the Middle East now hangs in the balance across multiple fronts. Despite a lull in fighting between the United States and Iran, the region is waiting to learn whether a deal can be finalized to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and stave off another round of conflict.
The Yemeni government’s counteroffensive follows a rapid escalation that began two days ago, when the Houthis struck military positions in the oil and gas-rich provinces of Marib and Hadramout, killing at least 17 soldiers.
The violence persisted on Friday, with Houthi attacks reported on civilian neighborhoods and a sprawling displaced persons’ camp near the city of Marib, killing two people and wounding 14 others, including children, according to the Yemeni government.
On Saturday, Majed al-Nuzaili, a spokesman for the Yemeni military, said that its forces had “carried out military action against terrorist elements” of the Houthi militia in several areas. He did not provide further details.
The Yemeni government, backed by Saudi Arabia , has been at war with the Houthis since 2014, when the group seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, with Iranian support . A year later, Saudi Arabia led a military coalition in support of the government, but its devastating bombing campaign ultimately failed to oust the Houthis from power.
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