Saudi Arabia praised the “positive outcomes” of talks with Yemen’s Houthi rebels, aiming to end the prolonged conflict. These high-level discussions, held in the kingdom, mark a renewed effort by Saudi Arabia to resolve the war and its regional tensions with Iran. The Saudi Foreign Ministry welcomed the results and urged Yemeni parties to engage in UN-supervised negotiations for a lasting political solution.
During the talks, the Houthi delegation met with Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, who emphasized the kingdom’s support for Yemen and its commitment to fostering dialogue.
The US and Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers also lauded Saudi Arabia’s efforts in promoting Yemeni-Yemeni dialogue and a UN-mediated resolution to the conflict. Additionally, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Saudi and UAE foreign ministers on the sidelines of the UN summit to discuss ending the war.
“We find ourselves at a moment of opportunity, a chance to assist the Yemeni people in forging a path towards lasting peace and security,” remarked Blinken.
The conflict in Yemen originated in 2014 when the Houthi rebels took control of Sanaa and a significant portion of the country’s northern regions. The internationally recognized government relocated to the south and eventually went into exile in Saudi Arabia.
This protracted war has resulted in the deaths of over 150,000 individuals, encompassing both combatants and civilians, and has precipitated one of the most severe humanitarian crises globally, claiming the lives of tens of thousands more. Although a ceasefire, which expired in October last year, has predominantly held since then, Saudi Arabia, local allies, and the Houthis conducted a prisoner exchange in April as part of their peace negotiation efforts.