U.S. urging a major role for Saudi in Yemen

The Obama administration is urging a major role for Saudi Arabia in an emerging international effort to stabilize Yemen, said U.S. and European officials involved in the diplomacy.

In doing so, the White House risks relying on an ally whose interests in Yemen and the Arabian Peninsula don’t always align with Washington’s.

One difference has already arisen: While Riyadh continues a military campaign against insurgents based inside Yemen’s northern border with Saudi Arabia, the U.S. on Wednesday called for political dialogue in the conflict with the rebel group, the Houthis. The U.S. coordinates closely with Saudi Arabia in combating Iranian influence across the Middle East, but U.S. officials say they’ve received no intelligence to back Riyadh’s claims that Iran is arming and funding the Houthi. WSJ