PICTURED: Former-Yemeni president Hadi at the Pentagon in 2013.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia. APRIL 5th, 2022. Many in the world know that the War in Yemen is the world’s worst humanitarian disaster and has been now for about 6 years, according to the UN. What many don’t know is that the war was launched to return a man named Mansour Hadi, a Saudi-backed dictator, to the presidency of Yemen. He claimed power in a Saudi-organized election where his name was the only one on the ballot.

Few stories about Yemen feature Hadi, as he has been holed up in a Riyadh hotel room since the war began. His propped-up administration-in-theory in-exile released a statement following the first few days of a two month ceasefire between the Yemen War’s belligerents to observe the holy month of Ramadan.

“Return as a Yemeni political component that adheres to national constants, and come to the dialogue table to make peace,” Hadi said in a statement on Monday, according to state news agency Saba. “Our hands stretch out to you for reaching a just and comprehensive peace and rebuilding our country”.

The statement is what many observers hoped for, that the first ceasefire in six years would bring about a serious effort to end the war.

Al Monitor reported that over the first 48 hours, the truce was holding, and that was already a good sign based on the fact that the last truce in 2016 was broken within 24 hours of its beginning.

On the ground

Both parties have, despite maintaining the ceasefire in theory, accused the other of violating it. Under the agreements, 18 fuel tankers to bring much needed energy supplies into the country will be permitted past the American-Saudi naval blockade of the port of Hodeida, the first of which arrived on April 3rd.

Transportation is also set to resume to a small degree, with 2 passenger jet arrivals permitted in the capital airport per week. Several cross-border roads will also be opened between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

The truce which will expire at the end of May, could be renewed by both parties’ consent.

“The success of this initiative will depend on the warring parties’ continued commitment to implementing the truce agreement with its accompanying humanitarian measures,” UN special envoy Hans Grundberg said in a statement.

The U.S. Special Envoy to Yemen, Timothy Lenderking, appointed during Biden’s false promises to end American support for the Saudi offensive operations, also called on the successful implementation of the truce.

“Seven years of war have inflicted a lot of pain. We urge the parties to adhere to the terms and pave the way towards a sustainable ceasefire and inclusive political peace process.” he said in a tweet. So far Lenderking and his mission as Special Envoy to the Yemen Peace Process has accomplished nothing for anyone, least of all the Yemeni people, 370,000 of whom have been killed, and 20 million of whom are essentially entirely dependent on international aid, as the American manufactured and maintained Saudi air force has bombed all of the most crucial societal infrastructure.

The distaste for this war among the people of the U.S., who supply everything from aircraft tires to bombs that the Saudis need to continue operations, is very high, but for 4 years every attempt in Congress to end U.S. culpability has failed in response to bi-partisan efforts or executive intervention under Trump and Biden.

Continue exploring this topic — Yemen — Senate Green Lights $650 Million Missile Sale to Saudi Arabia After Shooting Down Resolution to Block It

Continue exploring this topic — Yemen — Biden Says America Will Cease Supporting “Offensive Operations” by Saudi Arabia in Yemen

Continue exploring this topic — Yemen — Biden Said He Would Stop to Supporting Saudi’s War in Yemen: He Didn’t—Now These Congressmen Force the Issue