Sections type: Analysis

Recent developments in Yemen have broken years of stagnation, bringing the country into an explosive new era. The Southern Transitional Council’s (STC) initial expansion into the eastern governorates, and its subsequent loss of territory and dissolution under Saudi pressure, have revealed the fragility of the Gulf powers’ “containment” approach to Yemen. This strategy, which has traditionally relied on sharing influence…

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates predate the recent confrontation in Hadramawt, stemming from a deeper rift that was already apparent at the start of the coalition’s campaign in Yemen. From the outset, the two powers pursued distinct goals, influenced by broader economic ambitions and long-standing strategic competition that extended well beyond Yemen’s borders. The friction between…

The Al-Wadea border crossing between Yemen and Saudi Arabia was established in September 2003, coinciding with efforts by both countries to enhance coordination and cooperation amid the security challenges posed by terrorism. Before the war, the crossing was used for the movement of Yemeni travelers to and from Saudi Arabia, but its activity remained limited due to the existence of…

Yemen is uniquely positioned at the crossroads of Asia and Africa. Historically, this strategic location has made the country an important meeting point for multiple civilizations, resulting in a unique and dynamic landscape of intangible cultural heritage, expressed through rich oral traditions, intricate social practices, and diverse artistic expressions. To this day, rituals, festivals, customs, traditions, and tribal and communal…

In 2022, Yemen's internationally recognized government replaced then-President Abdo Rabbu Mansour Hadi with a Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), which was tasked with serving as the country’s new executive political and legal authority. While the transition was framed as a response to growing domestic demand for change, it was primarily driven by external influence, most notably from Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom’s…

As a fragile ceasefire takes hold in Gaza, questions are being raised about how it might influence the Houthis’ confrontation with Israel. For nearly two years, these unlikely adversaries have been locked in an unprecedented war of attrition—a conflict that began with symbolic and propagandistic strikes by the Houthis but has since escalated into sustained engagement. The Houthis have thrust…

Hudaydah has long served as a battlefield for those seeking control over Yemen. Since the 15th century, various empires, including the Portuguese, the Mamluks, the Ottomans, and the British, have made both successful and unsuccessful attempts to dominate the region. A century after the Mutawakkalite Kingdom of Yemen, commonly referred to as the Imamate, first extended its authority over the…

The 12-day military confrontation between Israel, the US, and Iran has come to a halt. This was no ordinary exchange of fire; all parties employed their most advanced military capabilities, and both Iran and Israel suffered significant casualties, in addition to material and, perhaps more importantly, psychological losses. After days of a relentless Israeli air campaign, the conflict’s turning point…

The balance of power in the Middle East has been transformed in the past year and a half. For years, there was a widespread assumption that there existed a loose balance of terror between Israel and Iran. Analysts understood that Israel’s conventional military power, backed by the United States, was vastly superior to Iran’s depleted military. But the common view…

The formation of the National Political Bloc last November has raised pressing questions about the future of political parties and coalition-building in Yemen. The country has seen several such initiatives over the past two decades, most notably the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP), launched in 2003, which effectively mobilized partisan opposition against President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s regime in the years leading…