Are Saudi-Houthi talks a turning point in Yemen's war?

A Saudi delegation’s arrival in Sanaa on Sunday shocked Yemenis and drew the attention of the international media.

Such a move, until recently, would have seemed implausible, unattainable, and distant. It has now become a reality.

Photos of the Saudi-Houthi meeting in Sanaa on Sunday went viral on social media platforms across Yemen, featuring the two sides’ warm handshakes and friendly smiles. For millions of Yemenis, it was an unprecedented scene.

With this breakthrough, the Houthi group - the de facto authority in Sanaa - and Saudi Arabia have begun a journey of cooperation after eight years of antagonism, bloodshed, and fighting.

So what can be inferred from this turning point in Yemen’s deadly war?

"With this breakthrough, the Houthi group - the de facto authority in Sanaa - and Saudi Arabia have begun a journey of cooperation after eight years of antagonism, bloodshed, and fighting"

The Saudi delegation’s visit to Sanaa is a significant diplomatic and political win for the Houthis, referred to as a militia and terrorist group in recent years.

It amounts to a declaration that the Houthi group is a legitimate political player in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia designated the Houthis as a terrorist organisation in 2014, and the UAE did the same. The US also listed them as a terrorist organisation in 2021, but the designation was revoked once Joe Biden became president.

The reason for designating the Houthis as terrorists was their use of weapons to achieve their political objectives.

At present, the Houthis have not abandoned their arms, but many countries, including Saudi Arabia, have changed how they deal with this group. This shift represents an undeniable success for the rebel group-turned-state.

The Houthi leadership, their fighters, and their supporters are now feeling triumphant as they see Saudi Arabia seeking to find an exit from the war in Yemen. The Houthis feel their resistance and sacrifices have paid off.

In a televised interview on Sunday, Nasr Aldeen Amer, the head of the Houthi-run Saba News Agency, said, “Time is ripe for a solution because the war has dragged on longer than it should have. The Yemeni people have suffered enough, and this aggression should stop, and the blockade should be lifted”.

After such a prolonged conflict, it has become clear that imposing options on Yemen is not possible, Amer added.

The arrival of the Saudi delegation has also deepened the confidence of millions of Yemenis in the Houthis’ leadership capabilities.

Ammar Saleh, a 30-year-old school teacher in Sanaa, told The New Arab that it is not logical today to say that the Houthis have not achieved any of their political goals since their takeover of Sanaa in 2014. 

“Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies bombed Yemen for seven years to subdue the Houthis. This week, Saudis have come to Sanaa to talk with the Houthis about finding peace. It is an evident Saudi setback and a Houthi win. I did not imagine this would happen one day,” said Saleh.

"While the arrival of the Saudi delegation in Sanaa has emboldened the Houthi group, it has dealt a severe blow to Yemen's UN-recognised government"

Houthi opponents demoralised

While the arrival of the Saudi delegation in Sanaa has emboldened the Houthi group, it has dealt a severe blow to Yemen’s UN-recognised government. This is a bitter moment for the Houthis’ opponents in Yemen.

The anti-Houthi forces, mainly the government, the southern separatists, and other military units, have shared their hostility towards the Houthi group since the civil war began in 2015.

Their main problem has been differing agendas and repeated infighting. They have lacked a united vision, which has weakened their political role and hindered their military victories.

The new Saudi-Houthi rapprochement is not what the Yemeni government had hoped for, but it cannot oppose or protest any Saudi options or resolutions at this critical juncture.

Muamar Al-Eryani, the information minister in the Yemeni government, welcomed the “exceptional” efforts made by Saud Arabia and expressed his government’s full support for the Saudi “endeavours to achieve peace in Yemen and the region”.

For now, Saudi diplomatic efforts do not seem to guarantee the realisation of a lasting peace in Yemen, but it can help protect its territories from Houthi missile and drone attacks.

For countless Yemenis and political observers, the Saudi decision to engage with the Houthis is a prologue to a regional and international recognition of the de-facto authorities in Sanaa.

Naef, a pro-government soldier in Marib province, told The New Arab that these new relations between the Houthis and Saudis have stunned most Yemenis and demonstrated that Riyadh is ready to cooperate with the rebel group. Naef admits that this development has dampened his morale as a fighter.

“I have believed for years that Saudi Arabia will never acquiesce to Houthi demands,” Naef added. ”Today, the Saudi ambassador listens quietly to the Houthi demands in Sanaa and aspires for a peace agreement with the Houthi group. This is perplexing.”

Peace not guaranteed

While peace looks more possible in light of ongoing diplomatic talks and a military de-escalation in Yemen, formidable challenges lie ahead and huge differences between the parties to the conflict remain unresolved.

Ali Alimrani, a former Yemeni ambassador and parliamentarian, describes the peace talks with the Houthis as a “delusion,” saying that the group will continue along the path of weapons, violence, and mobilisation.

Given the nature of the Houthi ideology, Saudi Arabia may find itself forced to wage another war on the group in the coming years.

“There is no sign or indication that the Houthis will change their beliefs or manners in the coming months or years and become a normal, national, and political force,” Alimrani told The New Arab.

“The Houthis will cling to tales and beliefs that they have the divine right to rule.”

"For political observers, the Saudi decision to engage with the Houthis is a prologue to a regional and international recognition of the de-facto authorities in Sanaa"

So far, hopes for peace remain high as a result of the Saudi-Houthi talks. But for Yemeni civilians, it is an anxious time.

“I cannot say peace has begun in Yemen, but the first step to peace has been taken,” Saleh, the Sanaa-based school teacher, told The New Arab.

“We hope to see more concessions and flexibility from the war rivals so that our happiness about peace lasts indefinitely.”

The writer is a Yemeni journalist, reporting from Yemen, whose identity we are protecting for their security