Houthis are fighting a losing battle in Yemen

The Houthis in Yemen are facing one setback after the other. There is resolve among the Saudi-led forces to drive them out of their strongholds. And we could soon see the balance of power in Yemen tilt decisively in favour of the coalition. In fact, the militants are fighting a losing battle and would be best advised to come to the negotiating table. There has been a lot of bloodshed, but the Saudi-led coalition has been persistent and precise in their targeting of the Houths. Dozens of militants have been killed including two commanders in the recent attacks. Saleh Al Sammad, the second-in-command of the Houthis, too, was killed recently. Besides, Mansour Al Saidi, the commander of Houthi naval forces; Salah Al Sharqai, his deputy; and Nasser Al Qaubari, the major general of Houthi missile forces, have perished in airstrikes over the couple of weeks.

The recent victories signal the growing influence of the coalition in areas under the control of the group. The Houthis were fighting for a futile cause from the beginning anyway. They have been thriving on a war economy, staking the lives of people they call their own. Their energies are channelled by bigotry, hate and intolerance. Their quest for power is fanned by Iran, whose hegemonic intentions are known to all. In fact, by appointing Mahdi Al Mashat as Samad’s successor, the rebel group has shown who calls the shots in the group. Al Mashat is a hardliner with links to Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Houthis have been merciless in their quest for power. But they fail to realise that their tactics of starving Yemenis into submission won’t be successful. They operate on a winner-take-all strategy, and have no respect for local tribal diplomacy, which could help in resolving domestic conflicts. There’s no regard for international negotiations too, which is why the Saudi-led coalition continues its campaign. Saudi has a moral responsibility in stabilising Yemen, and it is doing just that with the support of its allies like the UAE who are determined to fight for the people of Yemen. Yemenis deserve a better future, and they will get it when the Houthis are ousted. The end is nigh and the militants should see the writing in the wall.