IAS Gyan

Daily News Analysis

US--Biden-Yemen  

5th February, 2021 International Relations

Context: President Joe Biden is ending U.S. military support for the war by its Saudi allies in Yemen. This is a reversal of former President Donald Trump’s policy of providing logistical assistance and selling advanced weaponry.

Yemen Civil War:

  • The Yemeni Civil War is an ongoing multi-sided civil war that began in late 2014 mainly between the Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi-led Yemeni government and the Houthi armed movement, along with their supporters and allies.
  • The civil war began in September 2014 when Houthi forces took over the capital city Sana'a, which was followed by a rapid Houthi takeover of the government.
  • A coalition led by Saudi Arabia launched military operations by using air strikes to restore the former Yemeni government.
  • Although there was no direct intervention by Iran, who support the Houthis, the conflict has been widely seen as an extension of the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict and as a means to combat Iranian influence in the region.
  • Houthi forces currently control the capital Sanaʽa and all of North Yemen except Maʼrib Governorate.
  • The international community has sharply condemned the Saudi Arabian-led bombing campaign, which has included widespread bombing of civilian areas.
  • The United States provided intelligence and logistical support for the Saudi-led campaign. In March 2019, both houses of the United States Congress voted to pass a resolution to end US support to the Saudi Arabia war effort. It was vetoed by President Donald Trump, and in May, the Senate failed to override the veto.

thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/us-biden-yemen/article33755398.ece