Saudi Arabia

Analysis July 21, 2025 04:04 MIN April-June 2025 What Does a Weakened Iran Mean for the Houthis? By Thomas Juneau 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 was that Iran’s unconventional assets – its missile and drone programs and its support for violent non-state armed groups – posed enough of a threat to deter Israel from attacking. This perception led to the gradual development of unofficial rules of the game between the two sides, whereby each repeatedly attacked the other, but indirectly, and with sufficient restraint to… Continue reading Analysis July 18, 2025 04:26 MIN Currency War Threatens to Deepen Yemen’s Monetary Rift By Sana’a Center Economic Unit Yemen's fractured monetary system is on the brink of further division. The Houthi group has introduced new unilateral monetary measures, issuing new coins and banknotes in an attempt to consolidate financial control, undermine their rivals, and sustain the war economy. On July 13, the Houthi-affiliated Central Bank of Yemen in Sana’a (CBY-Sana’a) issued a new 50-rial coin. Two days later, the central bank announced the introduction of a new 200-rial banknote. It claimed the new currency is intended to replace damaged and worn-out 50, 100, 200, and 250-rial banknotes and will not impact exchange rates or the national economy. The government-controlled Central Bank of Yemen in Aden (CBY-Aden) swiftly denounced the new coin as a “counterfeit, destructive, and a continuation… Continue reading Analysis June 20, 2025 09:39 MIN The Israel-Iran War – Reaction from Sana’a Center Experts By Maged Al-Madhaji, Abdulghani Al-Iryani, Tawfeek Al-Ganad, and Osamah Al Rawhani The Middle East is undergoing profound shifts following the Israeli strikes on Iran. These developments have far-reaching consequences that extend beyond the Islamic Republic, particularly influencing the situation in Yemen. The Houthi group (Ansar Allah) has emerged as the last effective stronghold of the so-called Axis of Resistance, especially after the weakening of its other pillars, most notably Hezbollah. Although the Houthis were quick to condemn Israel’s attack on Iran, the extent of their ability to support their allies beyond rhetoric remains uncertain. The Houthis announced the firing of ballistic missiles at Israel on June 15, with military spokesman Yahya Sarea stating that the group’s attacks were coordinated with Iran. However, a week into this escalation, Iran appears to be… Continue reading Publications June 17, 2025 03:59 MIN Beyond Rhetoric: Houthi Options in the Israel-Iran War By Yazeed Al-Jeddawy The rapid escalation between Israel and Iran in recent days threatens to reshape regional dynamics while exposing the limits of the Houthi group (Ansar Allah) as a reliable pressure tool for Tehran. Before Israel attacked Iran in the early hours of Friday morning, the Houthis had positioned themselves as Israel’s most active threat. In response to Israeli retaliatory strikes in Yemen, the Houthis warned that no site in Israel would be completely safe, announcing that they are testing new missiles capable of causing greater damage to Israel, and going as far as urging diplomatic missions in Israel to evacuate and communicate with the “Yemeni Armed Forces” to ensure their safety. Domestically, the Houthis continue to claim victory in the Red… Continue reading Analysis May 21, 2025 10:30 MIN Saudi Arabia’s New Approach Toward Yemen’s Northern Tribes By Adel Dashela Yemen has witnessed profound changes over the last decade as the country's political geography disintegrated and non-state actors rose to prominence. It is now a fragmented state, where “Yemeni tribes—especially in the northern provinces ... control large portions of the country’s territory and perform state-like functions.” With the collapse of state institutions, tribes have sought to become an alternative to state authorities in order to protect their members and material interests. In the words of political scientist Daniel Corstange, in some contexts, tribes have become the “second-best substitutes for an absent or weak state.” Historically, intertwined connections and unstable dynamics have characterized relationships between Saudi Arabia and these tribes. The relationship “has been subjected to significant shocks and external and… Continue reading Analysis May 9, 2025 07:27 MIN US Leaves Yemen Worse Than It Found It By Ned Whalley At a May 6 press conference with the Canadian prime minister, US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire with the Houthis (Ansar Allah). Trump said the group had agreed to end attacks on the US Navy and maritime shipping transiting the Red Sea in exchange for an immediate halt to US airstrikes in Yemen. Each side claimed the other had backed down. The Houthis quickly reserved the right to continue attacks on Israel, whose ongoing destruction of Gaza was the purported impetus for their attacks in the Red Sea. April was the deadliest month of airstrikes in Yemen since 2017 – the US has conducted over a thousand since mid-March - but Houthi power remains entrenched, its drone and missile… Continue reading Analysis May 9, 2025 08:58 MIN Why Did Trump Decide to Halt Operations in Yemen? By Hussam Radman Over the past few days, Yemen has witnessed a series of dramatic developments that could profoundly reshape the local and regional dynamics of the conflict. First, the Houthis succeeded in breaching Israeli air defenses with a ballistic missile attack targeting Ben Gurion Airport. Second, Israel launched a markedly more destructive response, striking economic infrastructure in Yemen and rendering both the port of Hudaydah and Sana’a Airport completely inoperable. Finally, US President Donald Trump announced a halt to US airstrikes in Yemen after the Houthis agreed to cease attacks against the US Navy and commercial vessels in the Red Sea. This rapid and stunning turn of events effectively signals that Washington has chosen to relinquish its role as a geopolitical stabilizer… Continue reading Analysis April 21, 2025 08:27 MIN January-March 2025 Gulf Allies Could Prove Key in US Plans in Yemen By Elham A. Omar On March 15, US President Donald Trump ordered a series of “decisive and powerful” airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Houthis in response to the group’s attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea. The operation marks the most significant US military engagement in the Middle East since Trump retook office, with the stated aims of degrading Houthi capabilities and sending a clear message to their Iranian allies. Trump’s escalation has heightened tensions with Iran, risking a broader confrontation. Meanwhile, regional reactions to the strikes have been shaped by states’ interests, alliances, and the ripple effects of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The UAE, which backs powerful military groups in southern Yemen, has a history of supporting a hawkish approach to… Continue reading Yemen Review section April 21, 2025 07:35 MIN January-March 2025 The Woeful Plight of Yemen’s IDPs: A Tale of Two Towns By Sam Ali In mid-2015, Yousef and his extended family escaped from an aerial bombardment near his hometown, Al-Shareefiah, a village outside Haradh in northern Hajjah governorate. The 68-year-old head of a large household had found refuge in Hayran, a nearby district, hoping the airstrikes would stop soon so he and his family could return to their homes and large banana plantation. But air and ground attacks intensified in Haradh and nearby areas, including Hayran, where they were taking shelter. He and his family were soon on the run again. Now, nearly a decade since he abandoned his hometown, Yousef lives with his family in a makeshift camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs). They have never been able to return home, nor have… Continue reading Yemen Review section April 21, 2025 12:31 MIN January-March 2025 Politics and Diplomacy — The Yemen Review, January-March 2025 By Casey Coombs The year-long Houthi (Ansar Allah) campaign of military attacks on Red Sea shipping came to a halt on January 19, following news of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Houthi leader Abdelmalek al-Houthi announced a conditional suspension of the attacks on US- and UK-affiliated shipping as long as Western airstrikes in Yemen ceased. However, the group said Israeli-linked vessels would still be barred from Red Sea transit and threatened to resume attacks if the Gaza ceasefire deal was broken. Two days into the ceasefire, the Houthis released the crew of the Galaxy Leader, a cargo ship the group had hijacked in November 2023. Houthi officials said the move came at the request of Hamas and Omani mediators. Despite the Houthi pause… Continue reading Yemen Review section April 18, 2025 03:51 MIN January-March 2025 In Dealing with the Houthis, US Diplomacy is the Silver Bullet By Abdulghani Al-Iryani Ever since the Houthis started disrupting commercial marine traffic through the Red Sea in late 2023, calls for the use of force have been sounded from every corner of the anti-Houthi camp. The Yemeni government has advocated for international military action, while UAE-sponsored armed groups have hinted at their willingness to spearhead an international offensive against the Houthis. Clearly, none of these parties learned the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan. Civil wars are not settled by foreign intervention. At best, foreign forces can tip the balance in favor of their domestic allies, but more often than not, they merely prolong the conflict, fuel the war economy, exacerbate the bloodshed, and then withdraw in a hurry, leaving local partners to their… Continue reading Analysis April 18, 2025 03:39 MIN Strategic Hedging: Saudi Prince Khalid bin Salman’s Visit to Tehran By Hussam Radman All eyes were on the Iranian capital, Tehran, where Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman arrived on April 17. His visit, during which he was accompanied by several other senior Saudi officials, including Mohammed al-Jaber, the Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, is the most significant development in Saudi-Iranian relations since the China-brokered rapprochement between the two countries in 2023. Prince Khalid’s trip signals a qualitative shift in Saudi Arabia’s approach to its regional relationships, particularly with its long-time rival, Iran. On a historical level, the symbolism of the visit is unmistakable. Since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, only one Saudi defense minister has visited Iran—Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz in 1999. That visit produced two major outcomes: an unprecedented visit by… Continue reading