Nearly five years into the fierce war in Yemen, signs of an end to the fighting have emerged. It seems an international desire for peace in Yemen has been gaining strength, including in the United States. This comes after voices were raised in several European countries, including Germany, for a halt to weapons exports to Saudi Arabia; this is not to mention similar efforts in the US Congress.

Meanwhile, the Houthi movement’s weapons have enabled it to achieve deterrence; the Houthis claimed responsibility for the bombing of Aramco Oil Co. in September in Saudi Arabia and has claimed to have downed drones, including US ones.

Riyadh has been unable to achieve any of its stated objectives, such as overthrowing the Houthis and restoring the legitimate government. This has been a burden on Saudi allies in Washington because of the prolonged war and its repercussions on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen, especially as US elections approach. All this has contributed to cause many to think that dialogue is closer to being a solution than continued war.

In September, Washington announced talks with the Houthis. “We are, to the extent possible, talking with the Houthis to try and find a mutually agreeable negotiated solution to the conflict in Yemen,” David Schenker, assistant secretary for Near Eastern affairs, said during a visit to Saudi Arabia in September. He added, “Our focus is on ending the war in Yemen.”