Riyadh’s failure in achieving Yemen campaign objectives

The ongoing aggression by the Saudi-led coalition has devastated Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Middle East. The war is estimated to have cost the Saudis upwards of $100 billion, eroded the international image of the kingdom and failed to achieve any of its objectives.

The ongoing aggression by the Saudi-led coalition has devastated Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Middle East. The war is estimated to have cost the Saudis upwards of $100 billion, eroded the international image of the kingdom and failed to achieve any of its objectives.

In March 2015, Saudi Arabia and a coalition of its regional allies, mainly the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, started a war against Yemen with the declared aim of crushing the Yemenis.

More than three years later and over 15,000 dead and thousands more injured, the war has yielded little to that effect.

At the onset of the war, the Saudi king and his heir, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, were confident that their clear military advantage would provide for an easy victory, which would in turn cement Riyadh’s position as a formidable force in the region.

In its campaign against Yemen, Saudi Arabia enjoys intelligence and logistical aid from the Americans, and has the fourth largest security budget in the world as well as advanced weaponry at its disposal.

Yet, the kingdom is finding it difficult to defeat a determined Yemeni army and resistance groups such as Ansarullah. In fact, in addition to holding on to the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, and other key areas, Yemeni army forces, supported by allied fighters from Popular Committees have fired over hundreds of missiles deep into Saudi territory and have captured over one hundred square miles within the kingdom.