The Arab coalition’s intervention in Yemen was supposed to last just a few weeks. Now in its sixth year, the Yemen conflict has resulted in over a hundred thousand casualties, crushed the country’s already fragile economy, and repeatedly threatened mass starvation for millions of people. While peace talks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis are ongoing, various impediments remain. Among the most pressing is the Houthi movement’s possession of long-range missiles. Thanks in large part to Arab Coalition missile defenses, the Houthis’ missile campaign has contributed very little to their war effort. Nevertheless, the prospective dangers of such weapons and the Iranian influence that comes with them make Riyadh less willing to accept a Houthi role in a post-war Yemen government. Limitations on Houthi missile capabilities will, therefore, be a necessary component of any lasting peace.
Read the full article at Al Arabiya.