Senators Call On Pentagon To Fully Disclose Its Role In Saudi-Led War In Yemen

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Three US senators have demanded that the Pentagon immediately reveals the full extent of US military support to the Saudi-led coalition that just launched an attack on Yemen’s key port city of Hudaydah, which has left millions at risk of starvation.

Hudaydah is the last remaining humanitarian lifeline in Yemen.

A Swedish proposal in the UN Security Council, calling for the Saudi coalition to implement a ceasefire, was blocked by the US and UK envoys.

Press TV reports: A letter signed on Friday by senators Bernie Sanders, Mike Lee and Chris Murphy, called on Defense Secretary James Mattis to reveal any role that “the Pentagon is currently performing” in Hudaydah.

“We call on you to immediately disclose the full extent of the US military role in the Saudi-led war against Yemen’s Houthis, including the use of special operations forces; disclose any role that the Pentagon is currently performing, has been asked to perform, or is considering performing regarding an attack on the port of Hudaydah,” read the letter.

They also called on Mattis to “issue a public declaration opposing this impending assault and restating the [Trump] administration’s position that Saudi Arabia and other parties to the conflict should accept an immediate ceasefire and move toward a political settlement to resolve the conflict.”

Hudaydah, a major lifeline for millions of Yemenis, has been under attack from the air and ground by the Arab alliance since Wednesday. The alliance is intent on capturing the port city in the hope of tilting the balance against the Houthi Ansarullah movement, which has been defending the country against the Saudi-led operation.

The alliance has been pounding Yemen since March 2015 to restore its former Saudi-friendly government. The United Nations and humanitarian organizations have warned that at least eight million of Yemen’s estimated 28 million people are at risk of starvation.

The recent attacks on the port city have even deteriorated the situation by disrupting the delivery of food and other supplies to Yemenis.

In the meantime, the US and the United Kingdom blocked a Swedish proposal in the UN Security Council, which was calling for the Saudi alliance to implement a ceasefire in the nation.

Currently, the United States is supporting Riyadh in its military campaign against Yemen; providing weapons to both the kingdom and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which plays a crucial role in the Yemen conflict.

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