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Houthi Attacks Undermine Efforts to Support Palestinians: Lenderking in Briefing

The US Special Envoy for Yemen, Tim Lenderking, is on a trip to the region for a new round of talks aiming to end the threat posed by the Houthis on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

In a digital press briefing on Wednesday, attended by Leaders MENA Magazine, Lenderking shed light on his recent visit to Saudi Arabia and Oman, where he met regional partners and discussed the need for an immediate cessation of the militant group’s attacks on shipping.

Lenderking said that the bottom line of the discussions was that the “Houthis must immediately halt their attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.”

The Houthi attacks “are undermining progress on the Yemen peace process and complicating the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Yemenis and others in need, including the Palestinian people,” Lenderking added.

Stressing on the important role of Saudi Arabia and Oman in the efforts to reach a solution in Yemen, Lenderking said they discussed steps to secure Houthi de-escalation and renewed focus on durable peace for the Yemeni people.

He pointed out that Houthi behavior is “complicating and undermining efforts to direct full attention to supporting Palestinians and their legitimate aspirations for a two-state solution”.

Lenderking stressed that the US commitment to the peace process in Yemen “remains unshakable”.

He added that the US designation of the Houthis as a terrorist organization has “put additional pressure” on the group that may discourage them from continuing their attacks on shipping, but said that the US “favors a diplomatic solution” for the conflict in Yemen.

During the press briefing, attended by Leaders MENA, he expressed concern that Yemen’s humanitarian and economic crises will only get worse in the absence of a political settlement.

Lenderking praised Saudi Arabia’s role in mediating between the Houhtis and the internationally recognized Yemeni government, saying that it “gives us some hope that we can use this moment to get beyond current tensions and refocus on what Yemeni people need, which is an end to this 9-year civil war.”

He pointed out that the US pressure campaign is having its intended effect “in the sense that they are hampering the ability of the Houthis to continue to launch attacks on Red Sea shipping.”

“So I think we collectively need to continue this pressure but at the same time continue to talk to our allies and partners in the region about ways to de-escalate this tense situation,” he said.

The Houthis have launched a campaign of drone and missile attacks on shipping in the Red Sea in November, in response to Israel’s war on Gaza.

In February, the US and UK started conducting airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen to degrade the group’s capabilities.

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