Former Yemen FM: Israel Can Aid in Countering Houthi Threat
Former Yemeni Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Yamani stated in an exclusive interview with Kan News that Israel has a significant role to play in confronting the Houthi threat. He envisions this within a broad coalition based on the Trump administration's vision for regional peace and stability, drawing on the Abraham Accords and a concept of burden-sharing among U.S. allies.
Al-Yamani, who previously served in the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the 2019 Warsaw Conference to form a united front against Iran, is now an advisor to the president of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), an anti-Houthi force supported by the UAE. He called for transferring the management of the Yemeni file from Saudi Arabia, citing its policy failures and the weakening of the anti-Houthi bloc.
He blamed Saudi Arabia for Yemen's current catastrophic situation, arguing that Saudi-led coalition attacks against the STC forces directly led to the Houthi's current expansion and weakened the STC. "They stabbed in the back the most suitable element to fight the Houthis and sidelined commanders who proved their effectiveness on the ground," he accused.
Al-Yamani further claimed that STC forces had cut Houthi supply lines to Al-Qaeda and other terror groups in December, a move he said was known to the Saudi-led coalition, but subsequent Saudi actions against the STC undermined these achievements. He warned that continued reliance on Saudi Arabia in managing the Yemeni file endangers maritime routes and global security, criticizing its inconsistent policies, which he described as oscillating between financial transfers to the Houthis, escalation against them, and enabling their strengthening.
He alleged that Saudi Arabia transferred hundreds of millions of dollars to the Houthis this year, which were used to acquire weapons now employed against anti-Houthi forces. He also claimed Saudi Arabia released Houthi prisoners involved in arms smuggling from Iran. Al-Yamani criticized Western capitals for ignoring warnings from the STC about the Houthi expansion along the Red Sea. He emphasized that the only path to restoring balance and stability is direct cooperation with and support for the STC forces to strengthen their presence and capabilities in their territory, while asserting the STC's right to determine its own future.
