The Al Houthis must be living on a different planet. When the world is grappling with the crippling effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, the terrorist militia in Yemen continues its evil designs by wreaking havoc on Saudi Arabia. A cruise missile attack on Jeddah on Monday was the latest in the series of terror perpetrated on the kingdom. A fuel tank at a petroleum products distribution station caught fire.
The Yemeni terror group has frequently targeted oil installations in Saudi Arabia, and such attacks could impact crude supplies around the world. At a time when the global economy is battered by the fallout from the spread of the coronavirus, any disruption to oil shipments will cause further slowdown. So the United Nations and other international agencies have a responsibility to rein in the Al Houthis.
It’s no secret that the Al Houthis are funded and armed by Iran. According to a militia spokesman, the Al Houthis deployed a new Quds 2 missile in Monday’s attack on the Jeddah plant. It’s easy to guess who supplied the missile to the Al Houthis, whose only source of acquiring sophisticated weaponry has been Iran.
The civil war in Yemen has been raging for six years, and there’s no end in sight. The conflict stoked by Al Houthis continues to thrust the country down the abyss of poverty. Starvation stalks the people, and malnourishment has stunted the growth of children.
The medical infrastructure, destroyed in the violence that has engulfed the country, is incapable of fighting the coronavirus. Yet, Al Houthis continue to wreak terror. Not only have they unleashed violence in the country, they also regularly launch missiles and drones targeting the oil infrastructure and civilian population in Saudi Arabia.
The UN attempts to bring peace to the war-ravaged Yemen have failed repeatedly because the Al Houthis usually don’t turn up for the talks. And when they do, they never honour the agreements. So how can peace be achieved? Without a doubt, the Al Houthis are emboldened by Iranian support.
So, if the leading nations of the world are serious about stopping the Al Houthis, they have to prevent Tehran’s active support to the Yemeni terror outfit. Towards that end, the United States under Joe Biden should continue the policies of President Donald Trump in stifling Iran’s attempts at imposing a regional hegemony. Only then can there be any hope of peace in Yemen. A stable Yemen will be a good neighbour too.
