Houthis unmoved so far by US diplomacy to end Yemen war

A correspondent in Yemen

Jul 8, 2021

Supporters of the Houthi movement attend a rally denouncing the United States and the outgoing Trump administration's decision to apply the "terrorist" designation to the Iran-backed movement, in the Houthi-held capital Sanaa, Yemen, Jan. 25, 2021. — Mohammed Huwais/AFP via Getty Images

Six months have gone by since the arrival of the US administration under President Joe Biden, which made ending the Yemen war a top priority.

Upon his first weeks in office, Biden took critical decisions concerning Yemen in the hope of creating a better environment for diplomatic efforts. He revoked former President Donald Trump's decree, which designated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization. Biden declared the reduction of military support to the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen. He also nominated highly regarded US diplomat Tim Lenderking as the US Envoy to Yemen.