Yemen war enters dangerous new phase

The Saudi-led coalition has embarked on a high-risk strategy to force the Houthis to the negotiating table

Since the start of the Yemen conflict in 2015 it has been called a war that neither side can win. Saudi Arabia, along with the UAE and other allies, control the skies and outstrip the Houthis in terms of military might in general. But hundreds of aerial attacks have failed to dislodge the rebels either from the capital, Sanaa, or the Red Sea Port of Hodeidah. Western diplomats in Saudi Arabia and the UAE have spent months trying to dissuade the Arab allies from attacking Hodeidah. In part, this is because the port is the entry point for nearly three-quarters of all the humanitarian aid sent to Yemen. The UN's emergency relief coordinator, Mark Lowcock, said at a press briefing this week that