Aden — The Middle East Forum (MEF) has issued a stark warning against the continued international policy of containment toward Yemen’s Houthi militias, arguing that such an approach has emboldened the group and allowed it to expand its power and influence unchecked.

In a recent report titled “How the International Community Got Yemen Wrong”, former British diplomat and UN counterterrorism official Edmund Fitton-Brown criticized what he described as a misguided shift in global strategy since 2014. 

While early international responses accurately identified the Houthis as a destabilizing force, the report contends that subsequent diplomatic efforts—particularly the 2018 Stockholm Agreement—have inadvertently legitimized the group and weakened efforts to restore peace in Yemen.

“The international community progressively lost its way,” the report states, highlighting how appeasement and containment have replaced accountability and deterrence. It warns that this shift has enabled the Houthis to consolidate territorial control, expand their military capabilities, and deepen ties with Iran—all while continuing to undermine regional stability.

The MEF report also criticizes the failure to enforce UN Security Council resolutions, including sanctions imposed on Houthi leaders, and calls for a reassessment of diplomatic engagement strategies. It urges Western governments and international bodies to adopt a firmer stance that prioritizes civilian protection, regional security, and the preservation of Yemen’s sovereignty.

The warning comes amid renewed Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and escalating tensions across the region, reinforcing concerns that the group’s growing influence poses a threat beyond Yemen’s borders.