{"id":9616,"date":"2025-03-24T10:26:41","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T10:26:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mokhacenter.org\/?p=9616"},"modified":"2025-03-24T10:26:41","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T10:26:41","slug":"what-impact-will-trumps-policies-have-on-the-course-of-the-conflict-in-yemen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mokhacenter.org\/en\/what-impact-will-trumps-policies-have-on-the-course-of-the-conflict-in-yemen\/","title":{"rendered":"What Impact Will Trump’s Policies Have on the Course of the Conflict in Yemen"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/b>
\n<\/b><\/span>The return of U.S. President Donald Trump to the White House on January 20, 2025, marked a shift in the external context influencing the ongoing conflict in Yemen. This context has become more prominent due to the clashes in the Red Sea and the exchange of attacks between the Houthis and Israel. This shift gains further significance given Trump\u2019s strong presence, his positions on Israel and Iran, as well as his potential impact on the policies of both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.<\/span><\/p>\n

Two days after his return to the White House, Trump signed an order designating the Houthi group as a foreign terrorist organization, with the decision taking effect on March 5. This move is likely part of a broader strategy to punish the Houthis, which will have significant ramifications. This raises the question: What impact might Trump\u2019s policies, concerning the Houthis, have on the conflict in Yemen?<\/span><\/p>\n

General Background<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The United States has maintained a significant influence on the ongoing war in Yemen since March 2015. Former U.S. President Barack Obama initially provided logistical support to the military operations carried out by the Arab Coalition but later moved to restrict this support and pushed for a political settlement to end the war.<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon assuming office for his first term, Donald Trump decided to lift the suspension on arms sales imposed by Obama in the last month of his presidency. While his administration continued to talk about ending the war, addressing the humanitarian situation and protecting Saudi territory, it did little to actively defend Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both of which suffered painful attacks on their vital interests during his tenure.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the other hand, Joe Biden\u2019s administration prioritized ending the war in Yemen, making it a key objective in its foreign policy. It exerted considerable pressure on Riyadh to halt the war. However, this stance shifted, following Houthi attacks on commercial vessels and U.S. warships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. As these attacks persisted, Washington was compelled to carry out several air strikes on various targets in Houthi-controlled areas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout 2024, Houthi activity in the Red Sea evolved into a major security challenge for the U.S., other Western nations and global shipping. Unlike its earlier approach, the Biden administration began pressuring Saudi Arabia to abandon its pursuit of a settlement, linking progress in negotiations to a halt in Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and against Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to exclusive sources, the U.S. Department of Defense was pushing for a military operation against the Houthis on the western coast and in the port of Hodeidah in December 2024. However, this operation was halted due to a lack of enthusiasm from Saudi Arabia, which conditioned its participation on signing a security partnership agreement before engaging in any military action against the Houthis.<\/span><\/p>\n

Key Aspects of Trump\u2019s Policies Toward the Houthis<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The Houthis and the Red Sea attacks did not feature prominently in Donald Trump\u2019s election campaigns. This could be because his primary focus was on domestic U.S. issues and major international matters that directly impacted the American economy and internal affairs. It is also possible that he sought to avoid committing to military action that could entail significant economic costs \u2014 something that contradicts his core policy objective of steering clear of new conflicts. Alternatively, he may have deliberately withheld attention from the Houthis to use the issue as leverage against Saudi Arabia and the UAE, knowing their need for U.S. action on the matter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Two days after returning to the White House, Trump signed an order designating the Houthi group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). The justification for this decision stated that Houthi activities \u201cthreaten the security of civilians and U.S. personnel in the Middle East, as well as the security of our closest regional partners and the stability of global trade.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

On March 3, the U.S. State Department announced that the Executive Order classifying the Houthis as an international terrorist organization had officially taken effect. The department emphasized that this decision is part of a broader U.S. strategy aimed at curbing support for groups classified as terrorist organizations, amid escalating tensions in the region.<\/span><\/p>\n

Following this move, on March 5, 2025, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on seven senior Houthi leaders, accusing them of being involved in arms smuggling and negotiating military deals with Russia. The sanctions also targeted another individual and a company implicated in recruiting Yemenis to fight in Ukraine on behalf of Moscow.<\/span><\/h3>\n

The list of sanctioned individuals includes:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n