\n\n“Saudi Arabia, along with several other countries in the region that joined its war effort, has been fighting a war in Yemen since 2015. They\u2019re fighting to oust the Houthis, a rebel group backed by Iran that had just overthrown Yemen\u2019s internationally recognized government led by President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Saudi-led coalition, which until recently was also supported by the US, wants to return Hadi, who currently lives in exile in Saudi Arabia, to power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Saudi Arabia and its allies launched the war, they used military force to stop planes from landing and ships from docking in Yemen<\/a>, saying such measures were necessary to stop the Houthis from smuggling in weapons<\/a>, including from Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But critics warned the blockade would keep much-needed food, fuel, medicine, and humanitarian aid from reaching desperate Yemenis, including millions of children<\/a>, who are caught in the middle of the fighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That concern proved devastatingly prophetic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification<\/a>, the world\u2019s top authority on food security, said last year that 47,000 Yemenis were suffering from famine-like conditions and that more than 16 million \u2014 over half of Yemen\u2019s population \u2014 couldn\u2019t reliably and adequately feed themselves. United Nations agencies have said that at least 400,000 Yemeni children<\/a> could die this year alone if conditions don\u2019t improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What CNN found last month fit the years-long pattern: Saudi warships had kept all oil tankers from docking in the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah since the start of the year.” …<\/p>\n\n\n\n “It turns out the State Department disagrees with the growing narrative since the CNN report\u2019s release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is not a blockade,\u201d a spokesperson for the agency said Monday. \u201cFood is getting through, commodities are getting through, so it is not a blockade.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the administration does acknowledge there has been a slowdown in the amount of fuel coming into the country, and they\u2019re concerned about it. \u201cThe United States understands the urgent need for fuel to get into Hodeidah port,\u201d Lenderking told me on Tuesday. \u201cThis is a constant priority in our conversations with the Republic of Yemen government and Saudi Arabia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the primary culprit for the fuel slowdown, the State Department and the National Security Council contend, is not Saudi Arabia but rather the Hadi government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s why: Even though it doesn\u2019t actually control the bulk of the country and is operating out of Saudi Arabia, it is still the legitimate, recognized government of Yemen and thus retains authority over who is allowed to dock in Yemen\u2019s ports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Which means that if the Hadi government doesn\u2019t grant permission to a particular ship to dock in Hodeidah (or elsewhere), that ship can\u2019t dock. The Saudi-led coalition enforces those decisions if necessary with its ships and planes, blocking any vessels Hadi\u2019s government says can\u2019t come in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that process of approving ships to dock is where the State Department says the real problem lies, leading to the fuel shortage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The State Department said it opposes any arbitrary restrictions of commodities entering Yemen, but that \u201cwe respect the right of the government to control its access to ports.\u201d However, the spokesperson added, \u201cWe do press them and work with them to make sure that their process improves and runs as smoothly as possible.\u201d”<\/p>\n\n\n\n …<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The Houthis are partly to blame here, too. Experts told me the rebels aren\u2019t great about dispersing the fuel that is allowed to come off the ships. Sometimes they shut down gas stations so that the price of fuel they control on the black market<\/a> goes up. So they are also responsible for why fuel isn\u2019t getting to those who need it.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n …<\/p>\n\n\n\n “All three parties \u2014 the Hadi government, the Saudis, and the Houthis \u2014 are guilty of purposely using fuel, and access to it, as a weapon in this war.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n …<\/p>\n\n\n\n “the severe restrictions in fuel imports at Hodeidah aren\u2019t happening out of pure malice, but they are happening on purpose. It\u2019s part of an effort by the Hadi government and the Saudis to stop the Houthis from exploiting fuel revenues for their own benefit. The Hadi government \u201chas declined to let them in [to Hodeidah] because of a long-running dispute with the Houthis over revenue payments,\u201d the UN spokesperson told me.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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