Riyadh and Washington Create a New War Plan Against Sana’a
NYN | Roberts and Analyses
In a move reminiscent of the controversial policies of Donald Trump, the current U.S. administration seems determined to replicate the same scenario that turned Yemen into a marketplace for weapons during his first term. Washington is accelerating its efforts to reignite the war by pumping advanced weapons into Saudi Arabia, in deals that perpetuate the tragedy of Yemenis and fuel the flames of conflict under the pretext of “countering Iranian influence,” while American arms companies reap record profits from the blood of victims.
In this context, Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman and Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al Jaber met with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and senior U.S. officials to discuss the Yemen crisis, ways to confront what they describe as Iranian influence, and disarming the Houthi (Ansar Allah) movement, according to international media reports.
U.S. Defense Secretary Austin promised his Saudi counterpart that Washington would work with international partners to eliminate the capabilities of the Houthi (Ansar Allah) group, which he said threatens international shipping security.
Analyses indicate that the meeting, held at the Pentagon in Washington, did not address efforts to establish peace in Yemen, in contrast to Trump’s statements about ending wars in the Middle East and maintaining calm.
What the U.S. administration is doing is replicating the Trump administration’s first term scenario, which turned Yemen into a battlefield for arms sales through multi-billion-dollar deals that drained the Saudi treasury.
Observers believe that the meeting reveals Washington and Riyadh’s intention to escalate airstrikes against Sanaa and restart the battles on the frontlines, under the pretext of protecting international shipping, limiting the military capabilities of the Houthis (Ansar Allah), and reducing Iranian influence. This could also be seen as revenge against the Sanaa government for its military support of Gaza.
There is a shocking irony in the absence of any representation from the internationally recognized Aden government, which observers have described as an “unprecedented disregard” for coalition partners, reducing them to mere tools with no decision-making power or opinions, referring to the marginalization of the Presidential Council led by Rashad al-Alimi.
Thus, Washington may reignite the war in Yemen to revive the arms trade and, with Riyadh, achieve a dual agenda through military escalation. But the question remains: will the battle be confined to inside Yemen, or will the fire spread to the broader region?
