Biden to end US support for Saudi-led offensive in Yemen

US President Joe Biden will today announce an end to US support for a grinding five-year Saudi-led military offensive in Yemen that has deepened humanitarian suffering in the Arabian peninsula’s poorest country, national security adviser Jake Sullivan says.

The move would fulfill a campaign pledge by Biden, whose administration plans to pursue diplomacy to end the overall conflict in Yemen. Biden sees the United States “playing a more active and engaged role” to end the war through talks, Sullivan says at a White House briefing.

Biden also is announcing the choice of Timothy Lenderking as special envoy to Yemen as soon as this afternoon, when the president is due to speak at the State Department. A person familiar with the matter confirms the selection, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement. The Gulf-based newspaper The National first reported the pick.