Trump Abandons Saudi Arabia as Houthi Conflict Escalates
US President Donald Trump has abandoned Saudi Arabia, leaving it to face 'almost a full-blown war' with Yemen's Houthi group, according to University of Chicago Professor John Mearsheimer. The conflict between Riyadh and the Shiite militant group has escalated in recent weeks, with the Houthis launching missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory.
Mearsheimer said that Saudi Arabia's decision to attack the Houthis was 'foolish' and has left it in 'really deep trouble.' He added that the Houthi are a 'formidable fighting force,' and the Saudis are not. The professor cited media reports that Trump encouraged Riyadh to strike an airport in Sanaa, which shattered the UN-brokered 2022 truce between the two groups.
The Houthis have also seized control of Yemen's Red Sea coast, taking positions around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key waterway for oil exports. Mearsheimer suggested that Trump did not want to get involved in a fight with the Houthi, citing the US's previous failed attempt to bomb them into submission.