Washington rejects an urgent Saudi request regarding the Yemen war

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) revealed that Washington recently rejected an urgent Saudi request regarding the Yemen war and its developments.

The newspaper reported that Saudi officials called on the administration of US President Joe Biden to provide intelligence and military support to target the sites used by the Houthis to launch drones and missiles.

According to the newspaper, the Biden administration rejected the Saudi request to help the kingdom, which reinforces the reality of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has become a “beggar” during the current White House administration.

The newspaper highlighted the Iranian-allied Houthi fighters gaining important new territory in the years-long war in Yemen. At the same time, Saudi Arabia struggles to defend the strategic city of Marib, and US efforts to broker peace are stagnating.

The newspaper revealed that Riyadh has begun an internal reassessment of its strategy in Yemen.

It said that satellite images show that Saudi Arabia has begun reducing its military presence to reinforce its borders.

The newspaper pointed out that the decision came in anticipation of the Houthi takeover of Marib.

It cautioned that Riyadh had left fewer troops at a few bases inside.

An international news site said that the Ansar Allah group, the Houthis and their friends in Iran outperformed Saudi Arabia and the UAE, especially regarding the battle of Marib.

The Dispatch stated that the battle of Marib represents the beginning of the victory for the Houthi group in Yemen.

It pointed out that for Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the ongoing intervention now in Marib would be very costly and in vain.

The Carnegie Middle East Center said that Saudi Arabia fears that the strategic city of Marib will fall into the hands of the Ansar Allah group Houthis as part of their conflict that has been going on for years.

The Center pointed out that the fall of Marib will extend their control over the border areas bordering Saudi Arabia.

The Guardian said that the bloody battles in the Ma’rib governorate between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Ansar Allah group would finally resolve the war in Yemen.

The newspaper stressed that if the rebels succeeded in controlling Marib, it would mean that they had defeated the Yemeni government and the Saudi-backed coalition.

The JPOST said that Saudi Arabia closely monitors the primary battle in the strategic Marib with the Ansar Allah group Houthis in Yemen.

The newspaper emphasized that Riyadh risks watching its allies lose a major battle against the Houthis several kilometres from the Saudi border.

It indicated that if the Houthis took over Marib, this would be a symbolic defeat for Saudi Arabia.

The CNN network said that the Iranian-backed Houthis will take control of the entire Yemeni province of Ma’rib in just a matter of time.

The network stressed that if the oil-rich province fell into the hands of the Houthis, it would be a severe blow to the Saudi-led military coalition.

The militants of the Houthi group in Yemen continue to advance in many areas in the strategic Marib Governorate. At the same time, Saudi Arabia is satisfied with announcing false numbers of Houthi deaths as a result of the raids it launched.