WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The Saudi-led coalition announced it will end the airstrikes campaign in Yemen even though it did not achieve the goals it had set in the fight against the country’s Houthi militia, experts told Sputnik.
“I am very skeptical that the Saudi-led military campaign achieved its goals in less than a month,” Middle East Forum Director Daniel Pipes said on Tuesday. “I think the Saudi leaders decided that they could not prevail and so they withdrew while claiming victory.”
On Tuesday, the Coalition announced it would end at midnight on Tuesday its Decisive Storm military operation in Yemen because the airstrikes against the Houthis have removed any threat to Saudi Arabia and to neighbouring countries.
The Shiite Houthi militia, which is the main opposition force in Yemen, is battling forces loyal to ousted President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, local tribes and al-Qaeda militants. Over the past several months, the Houthis have taken control over large parts of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa.
Gelvin argued that the purpose of the air campaign was not to protect Saudi Arabia from Houthi aggression, but “to inflict enough pain” on the rebels so that they would come to the negotiating table.
“This has not been accomplished,” Gelvin stated.
On Monday, the US Navy announced it would send two warships to the Gulf of Aden. The White House said on Tuesday that the US took that step to protect the freedom of navigation and commerce in the region.
The news came as Iran said it had dispatched nine warships to Yemen.
US officials said they suspect the Iranian warships are carrying arms to the Houthis in Yemen, which the United States and Saudi Arabia claim are backed by Iran. Tehran has denied the allegations.
“In making war on the Houthis, the Saudis have fanned regional flames and have pulled in to their anti-Iranian paranoia not only the Egyptians… but the Americans as well,” Gelvin added.
