As the year 2015 was beginning, the Arab Republic of Yemen was falling apart.
The Houthis had overrun the capital, Sanaa, taken over the national television station, and controlled most of the military’s resources.
Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi was a prisoner in the Presidential Palace. His authority did not extend beyond the palace grounds and his troops were surrounded by the Houthis.
Saudi Arabia declared the Houthis a terrorist organization, clearing the way for more aggressive action.