Analysis of Yemen Conflict Dynamics

From Sana'a, with the journalist close to the Houthi movement, Mr.

Hussein al-Bukhaiti. Welcome, Mr. Hussein.

This is a war declared in the fullest sense

of the word. No matter how much the Houthis claim

that they are at war with Saudi Arabia,

what is the cause for concern? It is an international

strategic passage, Bab al-Mandab, and there are countries party to

the Mecca Alliance agreement, meaning the matter is not solely Saudi-

Yemeni.

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Certainly, my dear brother, I also agree

with the guest, Dr. Mohammed Saleh al-Harbi, when he said that this is the first time

the Yemeni president has declared war, because the war was actually declared in

2015, not in the name of the Yemeni president at the time, Hadi.

Rather, it was declared from Washington through the Saudi ambassador

there, and that was with full American support. Therefore, the war

has indeed proven their claim that Saudi Arabia is the one waging this

war. But, my dear brother, we must clarify that the war

is on the ground, not through announcements and statements

that they have always tried to spread in order to

Gaining momentum and extensive media coverage. And I think those

in Riyadh, President al-Alimi and what they call legitimacy,

and the ministers there and the entire government, have developed what is called Riyadh Syndrome.

That is, they are completely detached from reality

and have no connection to reality. They do not know what is happening

on the ground. Or rather, they know, but they are trying to cover up all

of that with statements like these. I mean, when the statement was announced, what

would it add to the battlefield? The city of Al-Turbah was liberated, and it is

the second-largest city in Taiz Governorate. I mean, roughly,

the Saudi-backed government controlled 70 percent of

Taiz Governorate, and now it controls only about

ten percent. Imagine that! And now they are declaring war.

But I think this is...

But the equipment, the equipment and the military plans

are unprecedented this time, Mr. Hussein.

Yes, in the statement

issued by al-Alimi, these are plans, I mean, the first time we hear them and in

The statement was made by their spokesman, as was Al-Maliki's statement.

The coalition spokesman supports that. But we are talking about

the reality on the ground, my dear brother. The battle only takes place on the ground.

That's why I told you, this is the Riyadh syndrome.

What happened when they made the announcement? I mean, I could personally

understand this announcement if it had been accompanied by

major ground operations carried out by

Saudi Arabia and any new coalition it forms, or by landing operations at sea,

and an attempt to retake Bab el-Mandeb.

And this announcement would accompany that. This is always how wars are conducted,

I mean, they announce it.

There are military operations underway now, and there is air

superiority. Are the Ansar Allah fighters

capable of countering this

air superiority on the other side? What is their strategy for dealing with it?

My dear brother, yes, there are operations on the ground. There is

a withdrawal, meaning they withdraw from most areas where there are clashes.

Certainly, there is air superiority.

But the Yemeni army here in Sana'a has, I mean, somewhat neutralized

Saudi air force capabilities by carrying out major attacks on Khamis Mushait Air Base.

بعمليات استهداف كبيرة لقاعدة خميس مشيط

Khamis Mushait Air Base, as well as King

Khalid or King Fahd Air Base in Taif. This somewhat neutralized

the air force, and shooting down an F-15 led to the Saudi air force

becoming somewhat cautious in its raids. I mean, it

is no longer as it was before. Also, closing the strait against

Saudi Arabia and preventing it from exporting a single drop of oil, this is

a means of pressure, as if he considered it one of the means of air defense, because Saudi Arabia

if it continued with the air raids as it

had done before, there had certainly been almost

1,500 air raids and missile bombardments since the beginning and during these two months.

But did that, my dear brother—I mean, we are talking about reality—did

all that lead to advances for them or to the withdrawal

of the Yemeni army in Sana'a? No, certainly not.

That is, there have been major advances by the Yemeni army, and also regarding

the city of Taiz, senior military commanders

and brigade commanders withdrew, as did many others,

before Al-Turbah, south of Taiz, was captured

and the only main road was closed, which

connects Taiz to Aden and was one of the most important routes for

forces to reach Taiz.

The fighting, if you will, the airstrikes, the airstrikes

about 1,100, 1,100

approximately over the past few days or hours.

Sources, sources within the government forces. The government

recognized internationally speaks of around 1,700 or more

of

of, of those killed among

the Houthis. Are the Houthis planning

for a scenario in which they may face a

long war with Saudi Arabia and the forces of the internationally recognized government

internationally?

while the U.S.-Iranian conflict remains unresolved?

What will the Houthis do?

My dear brother, it is as though the war only began two months ago.

The latest battles began two months ago, when Saudi Arabia acted

By violating the truce and bombing Sanaa Airport

Sanaa therefore responded by targeting Saudi ships.

We have been at war since 2015, my dear brother,

we no longer live in the Stone Age. No one can.

But there was a truce, and the escalation happened because

your opponents say that instructions were issued by the Iranians

for you to open this front or escalate in this manner.

There is, of course, the incident involving the Iranian plane at Sanaa Airport.

My dear brother, if Iran were the one directing Sanaa

It would have been more useful and better for Iran if we had opened

the battle here in Yemen and the Red Sea against Saudi Arabia during

the Zionist aggression, the twelve-day assault that nearly overthrew

the government and regime in Iran, and also during

the forty-day war waged by the Zionist entity and America, which led to

the martyrdom of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

and the killing of many military and religious leaders

in Iran. Iran was in dire need of us at that

time, but now Iran

It is the one that takes the initiative, the one that closes the Strait of Hormuz, the one that has destroyed

and targeted all U.S. military bases in the Persian Gulf

completely, in addition to targeting U.S. military bases in Jordan.

What does that mean? Does it make sense that Iran, when it is the one taking the initiative, would need us?

Even if that were so, my dear brother, it means Yemen did not carry out any operations except

when the truce was breached. So, my dear brother, just one

important point. The talk is always about aircraft, and as the guest said,

F-five aircraft and

drones, which have now entered the battle, and this will change things.

From the day they said this aircraft entered the battle, major

collapses began on the ground, in reality.

And Yemen, I believe, my dear brother, if an attack is launched

for example, by sea, or if Saudi Arabia, America, and the Zionist entity

are planning a major attack on Yemen and a major coalition against

Yemen, similar to what happened in 2015, when troops were landed

Saudi, Emirati and other forces to Al-Buraiqah Port, and at that time began

Yemen's belief that if there was any plan and they believed that

they would use the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to do so, I think

Yemen at that time might completely close the Red Sea

to any ships because Saudi Arabia and the UAE, backed by the United States,

used commercial routes for the landing operation.

But there are operations in different areas, not just in Taiz this

time, in Saada, Al-Jawf, and along the coast.

Anyway, we will have other meetings. Mr. Hussein Al-Bukhaiti, the writer

and journalist from the Yemeni capital, Sana'a. Thank you very much.

The United States withdrew all its forces.