[Houthi Demands $51 Billion, Saudi Arabia Faces Difficult Choice in Seeking Ceasefire] According to a report by Jinse Finance on November 5th, citing the Wall Street Journal, after the Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and the capture of the strategic chokepoint of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Saudi Arabia proactively contacted the Houthis to understand the price Saudi Arabia would have to pay to end hostilities through negotiations. The Houthis' response was $51 billion. Sources familiar with the negotiations revealed that the Houthis claimed this sum would compensate for losses caused by Saudi Arabia's years of airstrikes and long-term blockade. These sources indicated that other amounts were subsequently proposed, but the message was clear: Saudi Arabia's withdrawal from the conflict would cost tens of billions of dollars. Furthermore, the Houthis demanded formal Saudi recognition as the ruler of Yemen, which effectively means Saudi Arabia must accept a hostile force armed by Iran and entrenched along its southern border. Neither the Saudi government nor the Houthi leadership responded to requests for comment. (Jinshi)