Houthis Dissolve Yemen's Parliament

Reports indicate that amid the ongoing crisis in Yemen, the Shia Houthi rebels have dissolved the parliament of the country and formed a Presidential Council. According to the Associated Press, as the crisis deepens in Yemen, the Shia Houthi rebels announced on Friday, February 5, that they have taken control of the government. The report states that the Houthi rebels declared in a statement broadcasted on television that a five-member transitional council will replace the resigned President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi for two years. The Houthis also announced that a 'Revolutionary Committee' will be responsible for forming a new Yemeni parliament with 551 members, led by Mohammed Ali al-Houthi. The statement read from the presidential palace also mentioned that the current developments mark the beginning of a new era that will lead Yemen to safety. Previously, the Houthi rebels had given Yemeni political groups a deadline until Wednesday to find a solution to the crisis in the country. The Houthis have controlled Sana'a, the capital of Yemen, since September of last year and forced President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi to resign. The Houthis claim they only seek equal power in the country, but critics argue that the group has larger ambitions. In this context, the Houthi rebels and the President of Yemen reached an 'agreement', and the President resigned under pressure from the Houthis. The White House stated it is unclear whether Iran exerts influence over the Houthis, while the Pentagon noted that the U.S. has established contact with the Houthis in Yemen.