Fact check: When did Obama become involved in the Saudi led war on Yemen?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, President Barack Obama became involved in the Saudi-led war on Yemen on March 26, 2015. The most specific information comes from the analysis stating that "on March 26, 2015, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates launched a surprise military attack on Yemen, and hours after the intervention began, the Obama administration released a statement declaring support for the GCC actions to defend against Houthi violence" ^[1].

Multiple sources confirm that Obama's involvement began in 2015, with the U.S. providing "logistical and intelligence aid to the Saudis" ^[2] and "material and logistical support" ^[3]. According to Rep. Ted Lieu, "the Obama administration approved a US role in the Saudi-led military effort in Yemen in March 2015, marking the beginning of US involvement in the conflict" ^[4].

The nature of Obama's involvement included:

• Immediate diplomatic support - releasing statements backing Saudi actions within hours of the intervention
• Military assistance - authorizing U.S. soldiers to provide logistical and intelligence support
• Arms sales - though these were later limited due to concerns over civilian casualties ^[5]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important context about the scale and consequences of Obama's involvement. The analyses reveal that by the end of his presidency, 30 senior Obama administration officials felt compelled to issue a statement calling on the Trump administration to end support for Saudi Arabia in Yemen, suggesting internal recognition of problematic involvement ^[6].

The question also omits the humanitarian concerns that emerged during Obama's involvement. The Obama administration expressed concern over "flaws in the way air strikes are targeted in Yemen" and limited arms sales to Saudi Arabia "amid concerns over civilian casualties linked to air strikes" ^[5]. One source characterizes U.S. involvement as "complicity in the Saudi-led genocide in Yemen" that "spans Obama, Trump administrations" ^[3].

Alternative viewpoints on Obama's involvement include:

• Defensive framing - The administration presented support as defending against "Houthi violence" ^[1]
• Critical perspective - Some view it as complicity in war crimes and genocide ^{[3] [7]}
• Institutional critique - The involvement reflects broader issues with "presidential power and national security" decision-making ^[8]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself does not contain misinformation, as it simply asks for factual information about timing. However, the phrasing "Saudi led war on Yemen" could be seen as carrying implicit bias by characterizing the conflict in a particular way, though this characterization appears to be factually supported by the sources analyzed.

The question's neutrality in tone contrasts with the significant moral and legal implications revealed in the analyses, including concerns about war crimes ^[7] and genocide ^[3]. A more complete understanding would acknowledge that Obama's involvement was not merely administrative but had serious humanitarian consequences that his own officials later sought to address.