Biden Says US Won’t Support Offensive Operations in Yemen

National security adviser Jake Sullivan said at a White House press briefing that President Joe Biden will announce an end to U.S. support for offensive operations in Yemen on Thursday, during an address at the State Department, reported The Hill.

Sullivan said that a special envoy will be named, but even he didn’t mention who will be, the name of veteran diplomat Timothy Lenderking is identified in reports as the choice.

“That is a promise that he made in the campaign that he will be following through on, but he will go further than that. He will talk about the United States playing a more active and engaged role in the diplomacy to bring an end to the conflict in Yemen, and that will include the naming of a special envoy,” Sullivan said.

President’s announcement will not affect the military operations against Yemen’s al Qaeda wing, as these actions are considered “actions that we undertake in service of protecting the homeland and protecting American interests in the region and our allies and partners,” added Sullivan.

Sullivan pointed to two sales of precision-guided munitions approved by Trump’s administration that Biden’s administration has announced it’s pausing, saying that Biden’s move “extends to the type of offensive operations that have perpetuated this civil war in Yemen that has led to a humanitarian crisis.”

Last week, the State Department announced it was pausing and reviewing all arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The United States has made billions of dollars in weapons sales, as well as providing logistics and military support to a Saudi Arabia-led military coalition in Yemen’s civil war.

“We are pursuing a policy of no surprises when it comes to these types of actions, so they understand that this is happening, and they understand our reasoning and rationale,” said Sullivan, pointing that the officials in Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been notified of Biden’s decision to end the support of offensive operations in Yemen.

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