Saudi Arabia Denies Participation in Talks Over Potential Ground Offensive Against Houthis
Saudi Arabia has categorically denied media reports claiming its involvement in discussions with the United States regarding a potential ground offensive by Yemeni factions against the Houthi rebels who control large swaths of the country.
A Saudi official told Reuters that the reports of the Kingdom’s participation in talks about a military ground operation in Yemen targeting the Houthis were "false and baseless."
This denial comes shortly after the United Arab Emirates also dismissed similar reports. Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE’s Assistant Minister for Political Affairs, described such claims as “wild and unfounded.”
Earlier, The Wall Street Journal had reported that Yemeni factions were planning a ground offensive along the Red Sea coast, taking advantage of ongoing U.S. airstrikes against the Houthis, and that the UAE had presented this plan to American officials.
Bloomberg also reported on Wednesday that anti-Houthi Yemeni forces were in discussions with the United States and Gulf allies about the feasibility of launching a ground offensive.
The U.S. Embassy in Yemen confirmed that the current campaign against the Houthis is solely focused on degrading their military capabilities.
Since mid-March, the U.S. has launched hundreds of airstrikes on suspected Houthi targets, including military camps and homes allegedly used by Houthi leaders. Washington claims the strikes have killed numerous fighters and destroyed a significant portion of the group’s military infrastructure.
However, the Houthis have denied these claims, stating that some of the airstrikes targeted civilian areas, resulting in over 100 deaths and more than 200 injuries, while refraining from disclosing further damage details
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