Lawmakers circulate 'urgent call' for Mattis to prevent 'catastrophic' Yemen offensive

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers is circulating a letter calling for Defense Secretary James MattisJames Norman MattisBiden courts veterans amid fallout from Trump military controversies Trump says he wanted to take out Syria's Assad but Mattis opposed it Gary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November MORE to help prevent a “catastrophic” military operation on a key port in Yemen.

“We urge you to use all available means to avert a catastrophic military assault on Yemen’s major port city of Hodeida by the Saudi-led coalition, and to present Congress with immediate clarification regarding the full scope of U.S. military involvement in that conflict,” said a draft of the letter obtained by The Hill.

“In light of your April 2017 remarks that the war must be resolved ‘politically as soon as possible,’ we urge you to use all tools at your disposal to dissuade the Saudi-led coalition from moving forward with this offensive and reject the provision of U.S. logistical, military and diplomatic support for any such operation.”

The letter is being circulated for signatures by Reps. Mark PocanMark William PocanCongress fiddles while the US burns, floods, and ails Overnight Defense: Nearly 500 former national security officials formally back Biden | 40 groups call on House panel to investigate Pentagon's use of coronavirus funds 40 groups call on House panel to investigate Pentagon's use of coronavirus funds MORE (D-Wis.), Justin AmashJustin AmashHillicon Valley: House votes to condemn QAnon | Americans worried about foreign election interference | DHS confirms request to tap protester phones House votes to condemn alleged hysterectomies on migrant women House approves measure condemning QAnon, but 17 Republicans vote against it MORE (R-Mich.), Ro KhannaRohit (Ro) KhannaTop House lawmakers launch investigation into Pentagon redirecting COVID-19 funds Overnight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds On The Money: Half of states deplete funds for Trump's 0 unemployment expansion | EU appealing ruling in Apple tax case | House Democrats include more aid for airlines in coronavirus package MORE (D-Calif.), Thomas MassieThomas Harold MassieHouse in near-unanimous vote affirms peaceful transfer of power Ron Paul hospitalized in Texas GOP lawmaker praises Kyle Rittenhouse's 'restraint' for not emptying magazine during shooting MORE (R-Ky.), Barbara LeeBarbara Jean LeeCongress fiddles while the US burns, floods, and ails 20 years later, the FDA must lift restrictions on medication abortion care Ending the Hyde Amendment is no longer on the backburner MORE (D-Calif.), Walter JonesWalter Beaman JonesExperts warn Georgia's new electronic voting machines vulnerable to potential intrusions, malfunctions Georgia restores 22,000 voter registrations after purge Stacey Abrams group files emergency motion to stop Georgia voting roll purge MORE (R-N.C.) and Ted Lieu (D-Calif.).

The letter comes after the United Nations and humanitarian groups reported over the weekend that they were warned by the United Arab Emirates to evacuate the Yemeni port city of Hodeida by Tuesday. The city is controlled by Houthi rebels who are fighting a Saudi Arabia-led coalition, and the coalition believes the port has been key to the rebels smuggling in arms.

Humanitarian groups and experts have warned that an offensive on Hodeida, through which 80 percent of Yemen’s aid comes, could devastate the already war-ravaged country. The United Nations said Friday the worst-case scenario is 250,000 civilians killed in the assault.

The House lawmakers are asking their colleagues to join their “urgent call” to Mattis in light of the potential Hodeida offensive.

“U.S. involvement in the Saudi-UAE-led war against Yemen’s Houthi rebels has been shielded from public scrutiny and congressional oversight,” they wrote in the “Dear Colleague” letter asking for signatures.

The United States supports the Saudi campaign with billions of dollars in arms sales, intelligence sharing and logistics such as air refueling. The New York Times also reported last month that Army Green Berets are at Saudi Arabia’s border helping find and destroy Houthi missile launchers.

Lawmakers in both chambers of Congress have gotten increasingly frustrated at the Saudi campaign as the civilian death toll rises, most of which has been blamed on Saudi airstrikes.

Late last year, the House passed a nonbinding resolution that called U.S. military involvement in the war unauthorized.

Earlier this year, the Senate blocked a resolution that would have ended U.S. military support to the campaign, though the vote margin was narrower than expected. Following that vote, a provision was added to the Senate version of an annual defense policy bill that would make U.S. refueling of coalition aircraft conditional on the coalition meeting certain criteria.

In the letter to be sent to Mattis, the House lawmakers express concern the Pentagon misled Congress about the U.S. role in Yemen during debate on the Senate resolution in light of the Times report. 

“We call on you to immediately disclose the full extent of the U.S. military role in the Saudi-led war against Yemen’s Houthis,” the draft said, “including the use of special operations forces; disclose any role that the Pentagon is currently performing, has been asked to perform, or is considering performing regarding an attack on the port of Hodeida; and issue a public declaration opposing this impending assault and restating the administration’s position that Saudi Arabia and other parties to the conflict should accept an immediate ceasefire and move toward a political settlement to resolve the conflict.”