US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking has put forward a “fair” ceasefire proposal amid a build-up of international momentum behind peace efforts to find a solution for the conflict in the war-torn Middle East country.
Washington, according to a US State Department spokesperson who requested anonymity, believes that the US and the UN have presented a solid timeline that works to swiftly settle complex issues like securing access to Yemen’s ports.
Figuring high on the list of US foreign policy priorities, peacemaking efforts in Yemen have gained the attention and support of world capitals. But Iran and its allies in the region continue to defy the international trend in hopes of their proxy militias making military advances in the battle-weary country before going into negotiations.
Three weeks ago, Iran-aligned Houthi militias waged an all-out military campaign against Yemen’s Marib governorate. The battle for taking control of the oil-rich governorate, however, did not go according to plan.
After inflicting heavy losses on Houthi ranks in Marib and other governorates like Hajjah and Taiz, Yemeni army forces shifted from defense to offense, confirmed the Yemeni Defense Minister Mohammad Ali Al-Maqdashi.
Houthi military escalation was not restricted to Marib but included cross-border terror attacks against civilian targets and vital installations in neighboring Saudi Arabia.
This triggered a vow of retaliation from the Saudi-led Arab Coalition, which is backing pro-government forces in Yemen. The Coalition released several statements and video footage documenting the destruction of Houthi-run warehouses used for the assembly and storage of ballistic missiles and explosive drones.
“The latest military escalation is an attempt by Houthis and their Iranian backers to pile up pressure amid US and UN efforts to mediate peace consultations. Their aggression is designed to place them in the strongest possible negotiating position,” senior research fellow at Oxford’s Pembroke College Elisabeth Kendall told Asharq Al-Awsat.
She added that the Houthi attack campaign tests the international community’s drive and hopes for achieving a nationwide ceasefire in Yemen soon.
