Simon Henderson is the Baker Senior Fellow and director of the Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy at The Washington Institute, specializing in energy matters and the conservative Arab states of the Persian Gulf.
Articles & Testimony
Now that the operation has begun, bipartisan congressional threats to sever U.S. military assistance because of humanitarian concerns will be tested.
The Emiratis, rather than the Saudis, appear to be leading the assault on Hudaydah, advising the advancing Yemeni forces and providing crucial logistical support. According to the BBC, those forces began attacking the city early Wednesday, when Iranian-backed forces ignored a midnight deadline to withdraw. The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that U.S. military forces are providing the former “with intelligence to fine-tune their list of airstrike targets...‘The intent is to minimize the number of civilian casualties and the harm to critical infrastructure,’ said one U.S. military official.” How big a disaster is possible? The Guardian of London, citing U.N. officials, said “in its worst-case scenario...as many as 250,000 civilians would be killed as a result of an attack.” Another 300,000 or more could be forced to flee...
