You may remember a post here back in December of Avi Lipkin outlining the possibility of the Houthis overtaking the country of Yemen and how that may affect the future of Saudi Arabia. Well that vision has now come to pass as today Yemen’s president, cabinet resign amid rebel standoff.
Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi has resigned under pressure from Shiite rebels who seized the capital in September and have confined the embattled leader to his home for the past two days.
Presidential officials said Hadi resigned after being pressured to make concessions to the rebels, known as Houthis.
On top of that, the King of Saudi Arabia has died with power currently transferred to his half-brother, but it will be interesting to see what develops in the near future.
The death of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdallah puts the Yemen crisis on the front burner for the king’s successor Prince Salman. Abdullah’s death comes on the heels of the resignation of Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, which is a major setback for American and Saudi diplomacy, a limited victory for Iran and a plus for al-Qaeda.
To make matters worse, ISIS is gaining ground in Yemen, competing with al Qaeda.
Remember that ISIS has threatened to invade Saudi Arabia and the Saudi’s have taken the threat very seriously as they are determined to build a 600 mile wall to keep them out.
Link to the original post with Avi Lipkin here: https://atharris.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/middle-east-in-the-midst-of-the-storm/
Looking for that Blessed Hope! 