Valdai Club

After three years since the onset of “Operation Decisive Storm” launched by Saudi Arabia in March 2015, Washington is today confronted with the reality that its continued support for the Saudi-led intervention implicates the United States in a regional conflict that has delivered few strategic gains. Rather than decisively weaken the Houthi rebellion, the war has only entrenched Iran’s influence.

What makes Yemen somewhat different from other regional conflicts is some direct interventions by Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Iran. What is needed is an international forum that can bring together the parties of the conflict, so here is perhaps a potential role for Russia, said Karim Haggag, professor of the American University in Cairo in the interview to ru.valdaiclub.com on the eve of the Valdai Club Middle East Conference, which takes place in Moscow on February 19-20.