Riyadh asked the group what a negotiated halt would take, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people briefed on talks. The Houthis answered with the $51 billion figure.
The Houthis said the sum would cover years of Saudi strikes and a long blockade. Other figures have come up since, but all in the tens of billions of dollars, the people said.
Recognition Demand
The group also wants Riyadh to officially recognize it as Yemen’s rulers, according to the Journal. That would mean accepting an Iran-armed adversary on the kingdom’s southern border.
The request followed Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and strikes on Saudi energy sites. The group has also seized territory overlooking the Bab al-Mandeb strait.
Saudi Dilemma
Saudi officials fear that meeting the demands could invite more attacks and financial demands, the Journal said. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is reluctant to negotiate without military gains first.
He also fears that sending more ground troops could bring heavy casualties and a domestic backlash, the report said. Saudi Arabia has already suffered dozens of undisclosed casualties.
Houthis Near Aden
Fighting flared again this summer with Houthi attacks on Saudi oil facilities and airports. The Houthis are now within some 50 miles of Aden, the seat of Yemen’s recognized government.
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