War in Gaza and Escalation in Red Sea Hinder Saudi-Houthi Peace Deal

The U.S. special envoy to Yemen, Tim Lenderking, said on Wednesday that the Houthi escalation and the war in Gaza have hindered the signing of the peace agreement between the Houthi group and Saudi Arabia.

In a symposium about Yemen's Peace Paths at the Washington Center for Yemeni Studies, Lenderking said, "The peace between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis is in its final touches, but the developments in Gaza and the Houthi escalation have hindered the signing of the agreement, and some details have not been completed." According to Lenderking, the Yemeni-Yemeni peace talks will come after the Saudi-Houthi peace agreement.

Last month, reports said the Yemeni rivals were close to signing a peace agreement under the auspices of Saudi Arabia and Oman. According to the agreement, Saudi Arabia will pay the salaries of all public employees in Houthi-controlled areas according to the 2014 payroll. Another point of the deal is that the oil and gas exports will resume, and the oil and gas revenues will go to the government. The government will be responsible for paying public employees' salaries in provinces under its control. In addition, roads, ports, and airports will be reopened, and a complete prisoner swap will be achieved.

The Houthi group has accused the U.S. of obstructing peace in Yemen. In mid-November, Houthi movement chief Abdulmalek Al-Houthi said the Americans threatened that the war in Yemen would return because of Yemen's involvement in the Israel-Gaza war that broke out on October 7.

Al-Houthi said the U.S. "put pressure on us through direct threats, the return of war, obstructing the agreement with the [Arab] coalition, and obstructing humanitarian aid." 

He added that his group will not pay attention to the American pressure and threats, and such threats will not stop them from supporting the Palestinian people. 

Yesterday, Al-Houthi warned the U.S. forces in the Red Sea against attacking Yemen,  saying that the Yemeni armed forces will not hesitate to target the American military warships in the Red Sea if Washington and its allies carry out military strikes against Yemen.

The U.S. continues to shun confrontations with the Houthi group, and Saudi Arabia has advised Washington to show restraint in responding to Houthi attacks against ships in the Red Sea, sources familiar with Saudi thinking said on December 6. The U.S.-Houthi clash will devastate the peace process in Yemen and pave the way for expanding the Gaza-Israel war.