Houthi Shiite rebels inspect the rubble of the Republican Palace that was destroyed by Saudi-led airstrikes, in Sanaa, Yemen. Photo: Hani Mohammed / AP
I have directed officials in my Administration to call the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to request that they completely allow food, fuel, water, and medicine to reach the Yemeni people who desperately need it. This must be done for humanitarian reasons immediately.— Statement by the President
Why it matters: Saudi Arabia has been criticized for its blockade of Yemen. The Economist, calling the situation in Yemen "the war the world ignores," wrote the blockade "raises suspicion that the Saudis are using food as a tool of war."