US Expediting Weapons to Saudi-Led Invasion

The United States government is providing intelligence and weapons to the Saudi-led coalition invading Yemen, confirmed Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken Tuesday.

He said the move would support Saudi Arabia, which was “sending a strong message to the Houthis and their allies that they cannot overrun Yemen by force.” 

Washington is speeding up arms deliveries to their Saudi allies and the coalition of partners participating in the Saudi-led invasion.

“The U.S. have admitted they have reestablished a joint coordinating office with the Saudis (…) the U.S. are the prime movers of this intervention,” explained Associate Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies Ajamu Baraka speaking to teleSUR English.

International aid agencies continue warning of the humanitarian crisis that is looming as a result of the Saudi invasion.

According to the World Health Organization, at least 540 people have died since the invasion began. The United Nations says at least 100,000 civilians have been displaced.

Marie Claire Feghali, a spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross, said Tuesday that the humanitarian situation across Yemen was “very difficult” with “naval, air and ground routes cut off.” 

The Saudi-led coalition has been bombing Houthi positions from air and sea, and Saudi ground troops have moved in to help pro-government loyalists.

According to Mr. Baraka, the military intervention could have been avoided.

“The alternative was to continue the process of dialogue that was taking place in Yemen to provide support to the Houthis, who were more than willing to come to some kind of political agreement in order to avoid conflict and to keep the attention on what they saw and what they thought was the main enemy, which is in fact al-Qaida forces,” explained Baraka.

Washington and Riyadh claim they are defending democracy and the legitimacy of Yemen's president, who has now fled the country and is currently in Saudi Arabia.

President Abd Mansour Hadi was elected with 98.9 percent of the votes in elections with no rival candidates, in 2012.