Yemen’s conflict is a prolonged, complex struggle fueled by historical divisions, regional rivalries, and international interests, resulting in a devastating humanitarian crisis.

Yemen’s struggles, one of the 21st century’s darkest and most tragic conflicts, are largely overlooked by the West. In a nation deeply rooted in history, Yemen’s ongoing conflict began to ignite in 2004 when the Yemeni government tried to arrest Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, a Zaidi Shiite leader of the Shabab al-Mu’mineen (Youth of the Faithful) and a former parliamentarian.

The arrest attempt triggered armed conflict with the Houthi group, leading to a violent standoff. Al-Houthi was killed after a prolonged rebellion. Despite Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s temporary amnesty to his followers in 2005, the government continued to detain and sentence many of al-Houthi’s adherents, perpetuating the tensions.

The Yemeni government later claimed that the Houthis sought to overthrow the regime to impose Shiite religious law. The Houthis, however, framed their actions as self-defense, protecting their community against discrimination and government aggression. As the conflict deepened, the Yemeni authorities pointed to Iran as a driving force behind the uprising, alleging Tehran’s leadership and financial backing for the rebels.

In August 2009, the Yemeni army launched Operation Scorched Earth against the Houthi fighters in Sa’da province, displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians. The conflict’s scope expanded rapidly when fighting spread to the Saudi border, drawing Saudi forces into the fray. By November 4, northern rebels and Saudi forces were clashing openly.

Saudi Arabia then began an anti-Houthi offensive, with Houthi leaders asserting that by December 14, the U.S. had intervened with 28 airstrikes, marking a significant international escalation. Despite a ceasefire in February 2010, violence soon resumed across multiple Yemeni provinces, including Sa’da, Hajjah, ʿAmrān, al-Jawf, and even extending into Saudi territory.

In 2015, Houthi forces seized control of Yemen and disbanded the parliament, a decisive moment in Yemen’s history. Saudi Arabia and Egypt coordinated the first of many offensives against the Houthis in March of that year, and the conflict has continued unabated. Yet, Yemen’s turmoil is not merely a recent phenomenon; it is part of a more extended history intertwined with colonial power struggles and regional complexities.

Yemen’s modern struggles are rooted in its colonial history. In the 19th century, Yemen was divided, with Britain seizing control of Aden in 1839. Aden’s strategic position offered Britain a counterbalance against the Ottomans expanding on the Arabian Peninsula and a supply post for its trade route to India. Aden’s value surged further when the Suez Canal opened in 1869, linking the Mediterranean with the Red Sea. Aden became a British crown colony, closely tied to Britain, while local rulers governed the interior under British protectorate agreements. The British protectorate zone expanded over time, eventually encompassing what would become South Yemen.

In northern Yemen, Zaidi imams continually resisted Ottoman rule, leading uprisings in 1891-1892, 1898-1899, 1904-1907, and 1910-1911. Yemen formally declared independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1918 under Imam Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din, who proclaimed himself King of Yemen in 1926. His kingdom lasted until 1962, navigating various alliances and regional tensions. Despite internal revolts, the monarchy held control until the 1962 revolution in North Yemen, which led to the establishment of the Yemeni Arab Republic with Egyptian support, while Saudi Arabia backed the royalists.

Meanwhile, South Yemen underwent its transformation. The South Arabian Federation, formed in 1962, unified the British colony of Aden with protectorate states, creating a federation of 17 states. Anti-colonial movements intensified, culminating in British withdrawal in 1967. This paved the way for the People’s Republic of Yemen, which later became the Marxist-aligned People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen in 1970.

South Yemen implemented radical social changes, introducing progressive family laws and promoting women’s rights, but internal party conflict led to civil strife in 1986. North Yemen, meanwhile, weathered assassination attempts and tribal unrest, with President Ali Abdullah Saleh emerging in 1978 as a stabilizing figure.

By 1990, North and South Yemen united under Saleh’s leadership, driven partly by the desire to capitalize on border oil resources. Yet, Yemen’s unification proved challenging. Economic crises persisted, aggravated by Yemen’s refusal to join the Gulf War coalition, which led to the expulsion of 850,000 Yemeni workers from Gulf states. Tensions erupted into civil war again in 1994, with the south’s brief secession as the Democratic Republic of Yemen before forces from the north regained control.

In the years following, Yemen became a haven for terrorist networks like al-Qaeda, largely due to limited central control and tribal autonomy. Kidnappings and insurgent activity were recurrent, and by 2009, Yemen’s government faced growing threats from both al-Qaeda and the emerging Houthi movement. This movement, rooted in the marginalized Zaidi-Shiite communities of the north, found support in Iran and quickly strengthened. As the Houthis gained momentum, Saudi Arabia launched its military campaign against them, signaling the start of a protracted and multifaceted conflict.

The Houthis now control much of Yemen’s northwest, commanding tens of thousands of fighters, with some estimates suggesting up to 200,000. Iran’s backing has bolstered their military capabilities, enabling them to challenge Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is supported by a Saudi-led coalition. The conflict has plunged Yemen into one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with millions facing famine, displacement, and limited access to healthcare. This tragic situation, largely ignored by the West, reflects the complex and often unreported realities of Yemen’s ongoing struggle.

The turmoil in Yemen cannot be pinned on any single player or faction; instead, it is the product of longstanding regional rivalries, shifting alliances, and internal divisions rooted in Yemen’s complex history. Yemen’s forgotten conflict is a sobering reminder of the deep-seated challenges that can arise when local grievances, regional ambitions, and international interests collide, leaving a trail of devastation that the world cannot afford to ignore.