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Yemen’s Humanitarian Nightmare
Article

Yemen’s Humanitarian Nightmare

The Real Roots of the Conflict



Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Eye Opening
  • Background

Recommendation

Yemen’s brutal civil war has been depicted as a part of the broader Saudi-Iranian conflict. But as Yemen expert Asher Orkaby explains, the conflict has more to do with Yemen’s historic intranational disputes and Saudi Arabia’s concerns about the security of its southern border. By framing the conflict in the context of Iran, however, Saudi Arabia can dampen closer scrutiny of its bombing tactics, which have led to the collapse of Yemen’s economy and brought seven million people to the brink of starvation. getAbstract thinks you should know this about the conflict in Yemen.

Take-Aways

  • After Houthi rebels took control of the Yemeni capital, a Saudi Arabia–led coalition initiated a military campaign to defeat the Houthis and restore Yemen’s government.  
  • Saudi Arabia justifies its intervention by emphasizing the need to counter Iran, which has provided some assistance to the Houthis.
  • In truth, the Yemeni conflict is mainly a manifestation of an enduring regional struggle between Yemeni governing elites and marginalized northern tribes.

About the Author

Asher Orkaby is a research fellow at Harvard University and the author of Beyond the Arab Cold War: The International History of the Yemen Civil War, 1962–68.