Washington – A US official told Axios that the United States does not intend to carry out direct military action in Yemen at the moment, noting that this position could change if the operation being carried out by Saudi forces and the Yemeni government encounters difficulties on the ground.
Washington refuses direct involvement
The official explained that the current US position is to not participate directly in the military operation against the Houthi group, after Washington rejected a Saudi request to participate in carrying out airstrikes against the group’s positions.
The official explained that the current US position is to not participate directly in the military operation against the Houthi group, after Washington rejected a Saudi request to participate in carrying out airstrikes against the group’s positions.
According to Axios, the lack of direct combat involvement does not mean a lack of US support, as Washington provides Riyadh with assistance in areas including intelligence and targeting data. This comes as Saudi Arabia and Yemeni government forces plan a large-scale military operation against the Houthis, aiming to recapture areas along the Red Sea coast and push the group away from the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Possibility of changing position
The US official stressed that Washington’s position could change depending on the course of operations and developments on the ground, leaving the door open to the possibility of taking direct military action at a later stage if new developments arise that warrant it.
These developments coincided with the announcement by the head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, of the start of a military operation to retake the territories under the control of the Houthis, following the escalation of confrontations in the recent period.