Have Yemen’s Houthis built a surface-to-air missile?

It is a new year but the same old story in Yemen.

Nearly three years on since a Saudi-led coalition began its military campaign, Yemenis continue to die. At least 11 people were killed in a Saudi air raid on Wednesday that targeted a market in northern Saada province.

That region is a stronghold of Houthi rebels who have been in control of much of the country since 2015. The fighting has killed at least 10,000 people and displaced millions more.

Just this week, Houthi rebels announced they had built a new locally designed missile to fight against the Saudi-led alliance. And now the rebels are threatening to block the Red Sea shipping lane if the coalition keeps pushing towards the western port city of Hudaida – which the Houthis control.

The UN has called Yemen the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with eight million people on the brink of famine. Thousands of others are suffering from malnutrition and disease, including cholera.

So, what’s the solution to the conflict in Yemen?

Presenter: Adrian Finighan

Guests:

Hakim Al Masmari – Editor-in-chief of the Yemen Post

Nabeel Khoury – Former deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Yemen

Andreas Krieg – Regional defence and security specialist and assistant professor at King’s College London