ASSESSMENTS

In Yemen, Saudi Arabia Takes the Path of Pragmatism

Dec 20, 2019 | 10:30 GMT

Tribesmen loyal to the Houthis ride in the back of a vehicle during a gathering to mobilize more fighters on Nov. 1, 2016, on the outskirts of Sanaa, Yemen.

Tribesmen loyal to the Houthis ride in the back of a vehicle during a gathering to mobilize more fighters on Nov. 1, 2016, on the outskirts of Sanaa, Yemen. With Iran proper the greater threat, Saudi Arabia is hoping to wind down the war against the Houthis in Yemen.

(MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Highlights

  • Saudi Arabia is adopting a more pragmatic stance by directly talking to Yemen's Houthis to help mitigate the overall risks it faces in the country.
  • Saudi Arabia's adjustments will not foster a straightforward political settlement to Yemen's conflict, as the Houthis will likely gain a more permanent role in the country’s political balance, which is unacceptable to some Yemeni political actors.
  • Iran could respond to this Saudi pragmatism by trying to deepen its military and political connections to its Houthi allies in Yemen.

After close to half a decade involved in Yemen's conflict, Saudi Arabia appears to be changing tack. No longer as determined to vanquish the Houthis, the desert kingdom is increasingly trying to protect itself economically and security-wise from a conflict that Riyadh cannot realistically hope to win militarily. In adjusting its strategy, Riyadh is now acknowledging that it will have to allow the Houthi rebels a permanent place in Yemen's political future, even if this leaves the Yemen conflict unresolved to Riyadh's liking, opens the door to semi-permanent Iranian influence on the Arabian Peninsula and -- most crucially for the Saudis -- fails to give them the peace they crave on their southwestern front....

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