US envoy says ground intervention in Yemen ‘appears pointless,’ urges regional alliances

US special envoy Tom Barrack said Tuesday that Washington is providing logistical support to Saudi Arabia, but a US ground intervention in the conflict involving Yemen’s Houthis “appears pointless.”

Speaking at the Global Security Forum in Doha, Qatar, Barrack, who serves as US ambassador to Türkiye and special presidential envoy for Syria and Iraq, said President Donald Trump supports Saudi Arabia logistically amid escalating hostilities between the kingdom and the Houthi group.

He also urged Middle Eastern countries to establish regional alliances rather than rely on Washington to resolve their problems.

Barrack said the US was redefining its role in the Middle East, moving away from direct control and intervention toward supporting regional countries in managing their own security.

He stressed that Washington was not abandoning its partners but could no longer be expected to resolve every regional conflict.

On Yemen, Barrack questioned the effectiveness of military intervention against the Houthis, saying negotiations involving Saudi Arabia, the group and regional mediators offered a better alternative.

Iran deal

Barrack said the US wants to reach a peaceful agreement with Iran as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue.

He said Trump remained willing to negotiate with Tehran, stressing that Washington was seeking a diplomatic solution rather than further military escalation.

Barrack pointed to mediation efforts by Qatar, Oman, Pakistan and Switzerland, saying a lack of trust between Washington and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) remained a major obstacle.

He suggested that a modified version of the Islamabad understanding could provide a basis for renewed negotiations, including a ceasefire, the reopening of maritime routes and measures to ease economic pressure on Iranians.

The envoy also emphasized that Iran’s political future should be determined by Iranians themselves rather than through externally imposed regime change.

Barrack also questioned Washington’s history of military interventions in the Middle East, saying attempts to change governments have repeatedly failed.

“Every time we try and intervene, change the person or the regime, it seems to have been a mistake,” he said.

He said the US had been involved in 23 regime changes across the broader Middle East, arguing that none had produced the intended results.

Asked whether the US-Israeli war against Iran was a mistake, Barrack replied: “I don’t know whether it’s a mistake or not.”

He said the Trump administration’s initial objective in launching military operations against Iran on Feb. 28 was to prevent what Washington considered an imminent nuclear threat, rather than pursue regime change.

Barrack acknowledged that the conflict had triggered unintended consequences across the Middle East and beyond, stressing that the administration did not want the war to continue.

He also described the situation resulting from the conflict as “horrible.”

Syria transition

Turning to Syria, Barrack described the country’s political transition following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government in December 2024 as an example of how former armed groups could become part of a political process.

He praised Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s handling of the transition under difficult circumstances and called for an end to Israeli military operations in Syria.

Barrack also emphasized the importance of dialogue and economic recovery in reducing regional tensions, arguing that military force alone could not provide lasting solutions.

His remarks come amid escalating hostilities between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis, with the Saudi-led coalition carrying out airstrikes against Houthi positions and the group launching missile and drone attacks targeting the kingdom.

​​​​​​​The regional escalation has coincided with continued tensions between the US and Iran following their military confrontation, with diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching an agreement remaining deadlocked.