US envoy says ground intervention in Saudi-Houthi conflict “appears pointless,” urges Middle East alliances over reliance on Washington

At the Global Security Forum in Doha, Qatar, US special envoy Tom Barrack said Washington is providing logistical support to Saudi Arabia amid its conflict with Yemen’s Houthis, but a US ground intervention “appears pointless.” He urged Middle Eastern countries to form regional alliances rather than rely on Washington to resolve their problems.

Barrack also said Washington seeks a peaceful agreement with Iran. He questioned the history of US military interventions in the Middle East, saying attempts to change governments there have repeatedly failed.

Asked whether the US-Israeli war against Iran was a mistake, Barrack said he did not know, describing the resulting situation as “horrible.”