1. United States
2. Conn.
3. Letter

The ongoing air strikes by the U.S. and UK on Yemen have proven ineffective and only serve to exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the country. These military actions will not deter the Houthi movement from their actions in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Instead, they are worsening living conditions for the Yemeni people and undermining efforts to reach a negotiated settlement to end the civil war. Over 70% of Yemen's population lives under Houthi control, where the majority in need of humanitarian aid reside. The air strikes are destroying critical infrastructure and making it even harder for aid to reach those suffering from shortages of food, medicine and other essentials. The Yemeni economy has already collapsed, and disrupting remittance flows from Yemenis abroad will push more families into destitution. Rather than escalating a failed military campaign, a ceasefire and resumption of diplomatic efforts towards a political solution is urgently needed. Resolving the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and ending the assault on Gaza could pave the way for the Houthis to lift their blockade on Red Sea shipping, removing the pretext for the air strikes. Reviving the stalled Saudi-Houthi peace deal and facilitating intra-Yemeni negotiations could finally end Yemen's civil war after years of suffering. The current path of military escalation is an exercise in futility that only perpetuates the world's worst humanitarian crisis. A shift to diplomacy and addressing the root drivers of regional conflicts is the only way to bring peace and security to the people of Yemen.