On Monday, Neil Hope, the Chargé d’Affaires of the US embassy in Yemen, met with Abdulrahman al-Mahrami, the vice president of the Presidential Leadership Council, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. During the meeting, Hope signaled formal US support for the Saudi-backed Yemeni government in its ongoing conflict against Houthi forces.

Hope publicly condemned what he characterized as deliberate attacks by the Houthis against Yemeni civilians. He further praised al-Mahrami’s leadership, describing the forces under his command as highly effective in the broader struggle against Iranian influence in the region. The meeting serves as a reaffirmation of the US position regarding the Yemeni civil war, highlighting the alignment between the US, the Saudi-backed government, and their shared opposition to Houthi military operations.

While the meeting underscores the US commitment to the Presidential Leadership Council, the report from Middle East Eye focuses primarily on the diplomatic alignment between the US and the Yemeni government. The report does not include a response from Houthi representatives or an analysis of the potential impact this public endorsement may have on ongoing peace negotiations or the humanitarian situation in Yemen.