–Analysis–
One quiet July morning, Yousef woke up to find Houthi armed forces encircling his home in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. The man was taken to an unknown place, leaving his family terrified and anxious.
Yousef worked for a United Nations agency, providing aid to poor people, and for this noble work he was targeted by the Houthis.
He was not the only one. The Iranian-backed rebels launched a series of raids in Sanaa and the province of Hajjah, detaining at least 27 people working with the United Nations and other aid groups in Yemen. They were accused of espionage and collaboration, and interrogated in mock trials that lacked the most basic fair legal standards.
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These arrests may be the largest, but they are not the first. Since the group took control of Sanaa in 2014, thousands of people have been detained; dozens of them are at risk of being executed over their conviction of fabricated spying charges in unfair trials. Such trials are used by the rebels to suppress political opponents and silence peaceful dissent, or as a tool of intimidation.
Recently, Yemeni social media was ignited by a wide electronic campaign launched by Yemeni activists under the hashtag “Houthi trials are liquidation of opponents”, denouncing the death sentences issued by the group against dozens of kidnapped people in its prisons in Sanaa and a number of Yemeni regions.
Large segments of global and regional public opinion are not sufficiently informed about these violations.
Many people, especially in the Arab region, are applauding the Houthis’ operations against Israel. Those who are enthusiastic about the Houthi hijacking of ships, hostage-taking, and missile bombardment fail to realize that Yemenis are living between the hammer of Houthi violence and the anvil of Israeli aggression, leaving them in a state of terror and uncertainty about their fate and the future of their loved ones.
Political impact
The recent Israeli attack on the coastal city of Hodeida has further complicated the already tense situation in the Arab world’s poorest country. The Israeli attack was in response to a Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv on July 19 that killed one person and wounded 10 others.
The Israeli attack, the first on Yemen, killed 7 people and wounded over 80 others, and threatened to open a new front between Israel and Iran-backed armed groups.
Israel attacked vital infrastructure, including fuel storage facilities and a power station in Hodeida, further deteriorating the security and humanitarian situation in Yemen, and undoubtedly further complicating the political situation.
The Israeli attacks have led to radical changes in the Yemeni political scene. The Houthis have exploited these attacks to strengthen their military and political position.
The attacks have helped the group to emerge as an international player. That prompted Saudi Arabia to adopt a more cautious stance to avoid regional escalation after months of calm between the kingdom and the Iranian-backed group.
The environmental impacts of the Israeli attacks were catastrophic.
Moreover, the attacks have also strengthened the group’s standing in the fragile peace process in Yemen, in contrast to its opponents such as Saudi Arabia and the internationally recognized Yemeni government. We saw this in Saudi Arabia and the government’s acquiescence to the Houthis who insisted that they won’t take part in any political talks unless economic restrictions the government recently imposed on the group are lifted.
On July 23, the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, announced that the two warring parties agreed to resolve outstanding financial issues and agreed to cancel recent measures against banks on both sides, and to refrain in the future from taking similar decisions or measures.
Observers see the agreement as the government’s submission to Saudi pressure, but there is no official evidence for these allegations.
In any case, the change in the Saudi position towards the Houthis, which has become softer, may create new opportunities for the Houthis to enhance their influence and get the lion’s share in any future political agreement to resolve the Yemeni conflict — at the expense of reaching a comprehensive peace agreement.
Environmental and humanitarian repercussions
The environmental impacts of the Israeli attacks were catastrophic. Smoke rose for about two days over Hodeida, as a result of the massive fire caused by the strikes. More than 50,000 barrels of oil leaked into the Red Sea, polluting vast areas of the Yemeni coast.
This pollution directly affects the lives of fishermen and agricultural crops, and threatens the food security of millions of Yemenis.
Pollution in Yemen is not a new problem, but the Israeli attacks have added a new dimension to this crisis. Oil spills and toxic emissions may continue to affect the environment for a long time.
In addition, toxic emissions resulting from the bombing of oil facilities will lead to an increase in the rates of chronic respiratory diseases in the surrounding areas.
The group exploits Yemenis’ love for the Palestinian cause to achieve its political goals.
Yemen is already suffering from a severe health crisis, with the United Nations estimating that 80% of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance, and 50% of health facilities are partially or completely shut down.
The situation is even more tragic in Hodeida, where more than 70% of families live in poverty, making it one of the poorest areas in Yemen.
Yemenis divided
It is not the first time that Israel bombs Arab territories since its war with Hamas broke out in October. It has targeted Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. Yemen joined the list in July.
Yemeni public opinion is divided over how the Houthi group lured the country into a confrontation with Israel. Some condemn Israel’s attacks regardless of the circumstances, while others condemn both Israel and the Houthi attacks.
The Houthi group lacks legitimacy, as it came to power by force and overthrew state institutions, which creates a huge gap between it and the will of the Yemeni people. The group exploits Yemenis’ love for the Palestinian cause to achieve its political goals, but shouldn’t the Yemeni people love themselves and take care of their national interests first?
The Houthi group pledged a violent response to Israel after the attacks on Hodeida, reflecting its insistence on playing an international role. But the group lacks the long political experience in governance to properly assess situations and their consequences
