Pentagon: The U.S. Has Established Contact with Houthis in Yemen

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense stated that officials from the country have established communication with various factions in Yemen, including the Houthis. On February 2, the President of Yemen resigned under pressure from the Shiite Houthi rebels in the country. Following these events, concerns about the fragile situation in Yemen, as well as the strengthening of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the continuation of battles with it, have increased. John Kirby, the Pentagon spokesperson, told reporters on January 27, 'Given the unclear political situation [in Yemen], U.S. government officials are in contact with various parties in Yemen regarding the very slippery and complex political situation.' According to AFP, the Pentagon spokesperson stated that 'the Houthis, as part of these events, have their reasons for speaking with international allies and the global community.' The spokesperson added, 'The U.S. government is participating in these negotiations.' He did not provide details on this matter. However, Mr. Kirby emphasized that there has been no agreement between U.S. officials and the Houthi rebels for the exchange of information regarding Al-Qaeda. The United States has been engaged in battles with Al-Qaeda in Yemen over the past years and is also in contact with Saudi Arabia, one of its key allies in the West Asian region. Washington has also emphasized that it will continue its battles with extremist Islamists in the Arabian Peninsula. According to reports, in the latest round of these attacks, U.S. drones killed three suspects linked to Al-Qaeda on Monday. Nevertheless, U.S. officials are concerned that the unclear political conditions in Sanaa may impact their ongoing efforts and battles. According to a group of analysts, Yemen is at the center of the fight against Al-Qaeda forces and has received considerable attention in recent years. Various reports and analyses regarding the closeness of the Shiite Houthi rebels to Tehran have also been published. On the other hand, following the resignation of the President of Yemen, the White House spokesperson stated that 'it is unclear' whether Iran exerts influence over the Houthi rebels or not.