Today, the Yemeni people are suffering from the actions of outsiders. Regional powers have turned the country into an arena for proxy conflicts that have little to do with the actual interests of the Yemeni nation. Large parts of the country have been devastated, including much of its vital infrastructure. Millions are threatened by starvation and disease. The fighting has left tens of thousands of others dead or wounded.

This appalling tragedy should have never been allowed to happen. In March 2015, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and their regional and international allies (including the United States and the U.K.) decided to intervene militarily in Yemen. They were responding to the 2014 coup d’etat staged by the Iranian-backed Houthi militias, who overthrew the internationally approved and democratically legitimized transitional government.

The United Nations Security Council has unanimously condemned the Houthi power grab, as shown by the two resolutions (2201 and 2216) it subsequently passed. Resolution 2216 authorized the Arab Coalition to inspect vessels inbound to Yemen and to seize any arms shipments discovered.