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SANAA, Dec. 3-- The latest clashes between two former allies in Yemen, the Houthis and former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, are set to aggravate the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country. The two sides allied and seized power in late 2017, triggering a civil war and a military intervention by a coalition led by Saudi Arabia. "I expect the situation will be complicated and Saleh may not risk further if he does not receive sufficient support from regional players," Yaseen Al-Tamimi, a political writer and analyst, told Xinhua. "The future of Sanaa is still uncertain. Both sides are using the hit-and-run tactics," he said, noting that it is difficult to drive Houthi forces out of Sanaa, if not impossible. The breakdown of the Houthi-Saleh alliance, seen as an alliance of convenience, was expected from the first day the it was announced. The Houthis can't forget the revenge for murdering their first leader in the first Saada war by the army of Saleh. There are several other reasons that led to the latest breakdown of their alliance. First, the Houthi actions to exclude Saleh are out of concern that Saleh would turn against them at any moment. Second, Saleh seeks to reach a deal with the Saudi-led coalition, which also hopes to do so amid growing criticism of Saudi Arabia and other members over the war and its catastrophic consequences in the Yemen, which faces one of the worst humanitarian crises. | 
