Sanaa (Monitoring Desk) – Yemen’s Houthi group has offered Saudi Arabia a deal to end attacks, demanding $51 billion in compensation and formal recognition of the Houthis as Yemen’s ruling authority.
According to a report published by the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the negotiations, Saudi Arabia had contacted the Houthis to explore what kind of agreement could be reached to stop the attacks.
The contact was made after the Houthis attacked Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and seized key areas near the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
According to the report, the Houthis said their demand for $51 billion was intended to compensate for damages caused by Saudi airstrikes and a prolonged blockade. Further changes were later made to their financial demands, but their basic position remained that Saudi Arabia would have to pay a substantial amount to end the conflict.
The report stated that fighting intensified again during the current summer, when the Houthis targeted Saudi oil facilities and airports and seized additional strategic areas in Yemen.
Houthi fighters have now advanced to within approximately 50 miles of Aden, the headquarters of Yemen’s internationally recognised government. This is being described as their biggest advance towards Aden since 2015.
According to a senior analyst at the conflict-monitoring organisation ACLED, the Houthis carried out attacks on Saudi Arabia almost daily during October, targeting civilian airports and Saudi Aramco facilities. The organisation reported 26 recent incidents involving attacks inside Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, at least 75 people were killed and more than 200 injured in a Houthi attack in Yemen’s Shabwa province. According to the report, this was the deadliest incident since the civil war intensified again.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, experts said that sending additional ground forces against the Houthis would be a difficult decision for Saudi Arabia. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly favours comprehensive negotiations without further battlefield advances. However, escalating military operations could also lead to casualties and domestic backlash.
According to experts, the Houthis’ strong position on the ground and their attacks on Saudi civilian and energy facilities could undermine investor confidence. A US military expert pointed out that Saudi Arabia has to deploy Patriot missile defence systems and other air defence resources to counter potential threats from Iran, Iraqi Shiite militias and the Houthis.
According to the report, the United Arab Emirates withdrew from the campaign against the Houthis last December following disagreements with Riyadh. After its withdrawal, Saudi Arabia sought cooperation with Türkiye and Pakistan through the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, under which an attack on one country would be considered an attack on all participating parties.
Pakistan has denied reports of participating in attacks in Yemen, while Egypt’s parliament approved military assistance in October. However, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi clarified that any mission would be defensive in nature. The United States has refrained from providing direct military assistance.
Türkiye’s parliament approved the first article of a bill concerning the ratification of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on Thursday. However, the session was adjourned until 2 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Yemeni army has claimed that 1,322 operations have been carried out against Houthi positions since the launch of Operation “Dawn of Yemen” on October 5. According to the army, approximately 340 Houthi fighters were killed or rendered ineffective during these operations, while 114 vehicles and pieces of military equipment were destroyed or damaged.
According to the United Nations, thousands of people have been killed or injured in the fighting that has continued since July, while more than 250,000 people have been displaced from their homes.