War in Yemen despite "red alert" humanitarian crisis!

(Baonghean) - More than 80% of the population, or about 21.1 million Yemenis, are waiting for food supplies, of which 13 million are suffering from food shortages and need urgent aid. In this situation, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen has been raised to emergency level 3 by the United Nations - the highest level in the past 10 days. However, the last hope of a humanitarian ceasefire proposed by the United Nations was also broken just hours after it officially took effect on the night of July 10. It seems that the suffering of the people here has not been able to make the parties stop, as long as strategic interests have not been achieved.

The ceasefire is as good as non-existent.

A ceasefire brokered by the United Nations will take effect from 11:59 p.m. local time on July 10 until the end of Ramadan on July 17. This is an emergency solution, also the last hope offered by the United Nations to meet the urgent food needs of 13 million Yemenis who are in the worst crisis since the war broke out. The conflict and prolonged civil war have caused more than 80% of Yemen's population to need humanitarian aid. The United Nations has also planned to support about 1.6 billion USD by the end of this year to provide food, water, and shelter for about 11.7 million people most affected by the conflict in this country. However, dozens of aid shipments are still stuck at the borders and cannot reach people due to ongoing fighting and airstrikes. The recent ceasefire could not be more optimistic. Just two hours after the humanitarian ceasefire officially took effect, the Saudi-led coalition continued to carry out airstrikes on targets in Taiz, the third largest city in western Yemen. The attacks took place after fierce ground fighting between Houthi rebels and the opposition broke out in the same city.

About 13 million Yemenis are suffering from food shortages and need urgent aid. Source: BBC

As usual, both sides immediately blamed each other for violating the ceasefire. While the Houthi side accused the opposition fighters of trying to push them out of their positions, the other side asserted that the Houthi rebels were taking advantage of the ceasefire to expand their attacks. In fact, just 30 minutes before the ceasefire took effect, Saudi-led coalition aircraft continued to bomb the city of Taiz. Houthi rebel leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi said that this ceasefire agreement would be difficult to succeed. For his part, a Saudi Arabian official also said that this ceasefire agreement was "useless", and said that the coalition had not received "any evidence of the other side's commitment". It is understandable for these back-and-forth and back-and-forth developments, because from the beginning, Yemen has become the arena of the competition for influence between the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia, and Iran, which backs the Houthi rebels. More deeply, there is tension and discord between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in the volatile Middle East - North Africa region.

Arab world fears US shaking hands with Iran

Observers also commented that Yemen is becoming an important battle site to restore the strategic balance of influence between the Arab world and Iran. And the air campaign led by the Arab Coalition led by Saudi Arabia shows the disappointment and anger of the Arab world at Iran's gradual expansion of its role and influence in the region. Not hiding his frustration, the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Abdullah bin Zayed in a statement affirmed that Iran is intervening in the conflict in Yemen and other areas in the region in the hope of establishing normal relations with Tehran. Not stopping there, frustration is also accompanied by insecurity as the current round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group, including the UK, France, the US, Russia, China and Germany, is taking its final steps. Of course, the feeling of fear is understandable for Arab countries, when the US ally is tending to get closer to the common enemy, Iran. Egypt and Saudi Arabia have also witnessed the cold "back" of the US administration that they did not expect in the past. Therefore, the progress in the US's relations with Iran is an excuse for Arab countries to get closer together, in the face of a "common threat" which is the US-Iran nuclear negotiations.

Although the US allies have reassured us many times, Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia, are certainly questioning whether the US will join hands with Iran and then turn its back on them for a larger strategy? Nothing is impossible, even the strategy of the entire Middle East can change. Therefore, the recent airstrikes in Yemen by the Arab coalition are said to be aimed at the Houthi rebels, but in fact they are "sulky blows" aimed at the US, in addition to warnings to Iran. Putting aside previous differences, the Arab coalition is now moving towards a common military alliance, a common voice to the US that we are united, we have the strength to lead and turn the situation around without waiting for the US to intervene. That is why the war in Yemen has not stopped yet. And if the Iran nuclear talks continue in a favorable direction, the war situation will probably get worse.

America at a crossroads - Yemen crisis continues

Meanwhile, although the US side announced that it is accelerating the supply of weapons and increasing intelligence sharing and fueling the anti-Houthi coalition, it is probably not in Washington's calculations to intervene more deeply in the Yemen crisis. Because a historic nuclear agreement with Iran is what President Obama wants to promote in his term that is about to end. The US also does not have enough economic and defense potential to spread wars around the world, and the Middle East is no longer the focus of US diplomacy at this time, compared to Asia - Pacific, Ukraine or anti-terrorism. Therefore, if Arab countries still want to use Yemen as a stage to express their frustration with the US and Iran, it probably will not bring much weight.

As for Iran, it seems that this country has more than one option to increase its influence and position in the Middle East. But as long as Saudi Arabia continues to escalate in Yemen, Iran will certainly not stop. Therefore, at this time, when the competition for influence between the parties has not yet been decided, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen cannot be over. In the end, the people are still the most miserable. And no matter how many times the humanitarian red siren sounds, whether it is heard or not depends on the attitude and goodwill of all parties.

Phuong Hoa