Episode Notes:

After several years of bloody stalemate, Saudi Arabia announced this week it is seeking political settlement in Yemen. This move comes just a few weeks after an agreement between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels. Barbara A. Leaf, who was U.S. ambassador to the United Arab Emirates from 2014-2018, and is now the Ruth and Sid Lapidus Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy joins us to discuss prospects for peace in Yemen, the role of a Saudi-Houthi backchannel, and the wider implications of these recent developments.

[00:37] Background on recent events

[03:19] Saudi Arabia’s recent moves

[04:40] Yemen’s likely reaction

[07:58] Implications for the region