Saudi Arabia has categorically denied a report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) claiming that Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels demanded $51 billion from the kingdom in exchange for a negotiated halt to hostilities. Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy, Ambassador Rayed Krimly, rejected the claims regarding demands made by the militia, describing them as "pure fabrication by the writers or their alleged sources."
In a post on X, Krimly accused the Houthis of turning against Yemen's government, causing famine among its people, and dragging the country into conflicts and agendas that did not serve Yemen or its population. He also accused the militia of attacking commercial vessels in Red Sea waterways, civilian and economic targets, and rejecting all peace efforts.
"We also remind the writers that Yemen has a recognised government," the Saudi official said. The WSJ report, citing people briefed on the discussions, said Saudi Arabia had approached the Houthis to explore the possibility of a negotiated halt to hostilities after the group attacked Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and seized territory commanding the strategic Bab al-Mandeb chokepoint.
According to the report, the Houthis sought $51 billion to cover the cost of years of Saudi strikes and a long blockade. Other figures had also come up during the discussions, the people cited in the report said.
The report further claimed that the group wanted Saudi Arabia to officially recognise it as the ruler of Yemen. The WSJ report and the Saudi denial come amid renewed hostilities between Riyadh and the Houthis, linked to the wider Middle East conflict.
The conflict erupted on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with strikes across the region. In July, the Houthis triggered a return to hostilities in Yemen by allowing an Iranian plane to land in defiance of Saudi control of Yemeni airspace.
The Yemeni government retaliated by striking the airport, with subsequent exchanges unravelling a 2022 truce in the country's long-running civil war. Since then, the Houthis have declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia, attacking its tankers in the Red Sea as well as Saudi territory.
International observers remain concerned that the collapse of the 2022 truce could lead to a prolonged humanitarian crisis in the region. The Saudi government maintains that its primary objective remains the restoration of stability and the protection of its sovereign borders against militia aggression.
Diplomatic channels are currently being monitored to see if any further de-escalation efforts will be attempted by regional stakeholders. For now, the Saudi stance remains firm, emphasizing that the legitimate government of Yemen is the only entity with which they will engage in formal political discourse.
The situation continues to evolve as both sides remain locked in a cycle of military posturing and public rhetoric, further complicating the already fragile security architecture of the Arabian Peninsula.