On Sunday, July 12th, Houthi forces launched an attack against Abha Airport in Saudi Arabia, using drones and firing missiles in retaliation for assaults against Yemen’s main airport, Sanaa International Airport, only a few days before. According to the Associated Press, despite the internationally recognized Yemeni government stating that the attack in Sanaa was to prevent the landing of an Iranian plane, Houthi rebels blamed the attack on Saudi Arabia, pledging to take revenge. The counterattack in Saudi Arabia, which subsequently closed all of their airspace, marks a drastic shift from tentative de-escalation to the brink of active conflict.
Since mutual violations of a U.N.-mediated ceasefire in 2022, the Houthis in Yemen and officials in Saudi Arabia have been slowly inching towards an agreement and peace (The Council on Foreign Relations). For several years, hostilities remained low, the countries began rebuilding diplomatic ties, and a peaceful future for Yemen seemed a real possibility. However, tensions began to rise when America and Israel launched their war against Iran at the beginning of March of this year. The Houthi’s position in Iran’s “axis of resistance” and their strategic location related to the Strait or Hormuz and global shipping lanes ties them to the conflict, whether or not they want to be involved.
Tensions between Yemen and Saudi Arabia have been renewed after a relatively long period of tentative agreement. The missiles launched at Abha Airport are the first Houthi-claimed attacks on Saudi Arabia since the ceasefire in 2022 (Al Jazeera). Following the exchange of attacks, ground fighting broke out between government-backed military forces and Houthi forces in Hodeidah, opening the door to reignite the war (New York Times).
Yemen’s entanglement in the U.S.-Iran conflict raises concerns over how realistic a peaceful Yemen really is. Yemen’s history, one scarred by political and religious violence and decades of civil war, makes the country vulnerable to involvement in foreign conflicts. Historical alliances between Houthi leaders and top-members of organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas, as well as leaders in the Islamic Republic, create an expectation of support when one enters a conflict. For this reason, Yemen suffered attacks after supporting their ally, Iran, in their separate conflict. This raises a concern over how, and if, Yemen can remain uninvolved in regional fighting.
Yemen, a poor country facing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, cannot afford renewed conflict with Saudi Arabia. According to the Council on Foreign Affairs, 21.6 million people in Yemen require aid, 11 million of whom are children. This crisis is only exacerbated by war and conflict with Saudi forces. These attacks have the potential to open a recently closed wound and become the catalyst for another war between the Iran-backed Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemen government.
