Yemen - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Yemen cover image

Yemen

May 4, 2026

Sanaa 2:16 pm

28°C

Members of Houthi security forces stand guard while supporters of Yemen's Houthi movement attend an event commemorating the ninth anniversary of the Saudi-led intervention in their country, in the capital, Sanaa, on March 26, 2026.

Exclusive

Senior Houthi official says Bab el Mandab closure an option if any Gulf states join war

Houthi Deputy Information Minister Mohammed Mansour also said the strait could be closed “should the aggression against Iran and Lebanon escalate.”

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Saudis shop for fresh products at a market in Riyadh on Feb. 18, 2026, on the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Saudi Arabia.

Analysis

Alternative supply routes emerge as Iran war tests Gulf food security

Roughly 61 million people in the Gulf rely on established food supply chains, many of which have been upended since the United States and Israel launched their attack against Iran on Feb. 28.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Riyadh

Analysis

In Saudi Arabia, Erdogan fosters security alignment, $30B trade push

The Turkish president’s visit cemented Ankara and Riyadh’s accelerating convergence as regional crises mount and Gulf rivalries sharpen.

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Galaxy Leader

Yemen’s Houthis hint at Red Sea attacks as US-Iran tensions rise: What to know

The Houthi warnings come as a US aircraft carrier accompanied by several guided missile destroyers entered Gulf waters amid tensions with Iran.

Latest News

Thousands rally for South Yemen independence amid Saudi diplomatic push

AFP via Getty Images

Egypt's economy can weather more Red Sea attacks, says finance minister

Ships sail along Egypt's Suez Canal near Ismailia on April 16, 2025.

From Egypt to Lebanon: What’s at stake for regional states on Trump’s visa ban list?

From Iraq to Yemen, how Iran proxies are responding to protests

Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 9, 2026.

A soldier walks at the site of a Houthi missile attack on a military campís mosque in Marib, Yemen January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Ali Owidha - RC2OJE90YU7S

Coronavirus cease-fire offers pause in Yemen war

Despite a cease-fire among the parties to Yemen's civil war, the Saudi-led coalition announced it had downed three Houthi drones.

Intel: Trump administration to cut Yemen aid amid potential coronavirus cease-fire

The Donald Trump administration is preparing to cut most humanitarian aid to Yemen amid progress on a potential cease-fire between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi rebels.

A worker pushes a wheel cart carrying food at a World Food Programme food aid distribution center in Sanaa, Yemen February 11, 2020. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah - RC2GYE9WBNNR

Intel: Democrats warn Trump administration against cutting Yemen aid

WHO warns Yemen of pending 'explosion' of COVID-19 cases

Yemen's rival governments are doing what they can to prepare for the arrival of the coronavirus, but the country's long civil war has taken its toll on resources and people.

Government soldiers walk at the site of a Houthi missile attack on a military camp's mosque in Marib, Yemen January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Ali Owidha - RC2OJE9IP8ZT

Fresh fighting in Yemen’s Marib province leaves dozens dead

Tuesday's clashes in Yemen between pro-government forces and Houthi rebels have killed dozens of fighters from both sides.

Houthi troops ride on the back of a police patrol truck after participating in a Houthi gathering in Sanaa, Yemen February 19, 2020. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah - RC2M3F90W6HV

Yemen conflict leaves impact on judiciary

A Houthi-run court in Sanaa sentenced to death 35 parliamentarians on charges of treason, which risks further dividing society in Yemen.

Will Marib province survive Houthi offensive after fall of al-Jawf?

An offensive on Marib province is looming but may not be imminent as analysts say they think Marib will likely remain in a state of ebb and flow following the battles in al-Jawf and Nihm.

U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One ahead of a trip to Tennessee, at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., March 6, 2020. REUTERS/Tom Brenner - RC2GEF9TB41R

Anti-war movement looks to take Trump to court to stop war with Iran

Anti-war groups are lobbying Congress to take President Donald Trump to court on Iran war powers.

Houthi followers shout slogans as they take part in their gathering in Sanaa, Yemen February 19, 2020. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah - RC2M3F9UAPQ2

Yemen's Houthis advance in Marib, Saudi border areas

The Houthis have taken over much of al-Jawf and Marib provinces and secured their main stronghold in Saada, expanding the Saudi border areas they control and gaining a short military path toward the source of wealth in Marib.

Civil war rivals vie for Yemen's strategic Socotra island

Despite stepping back from its military role in Yemen, UAE influence remains strong in the country's south, especially on Socotra island.

United Arab Emirates

How can Yemen's fragile health system combat coronavirus?

Yemen survived four years of a cholera epidemic, but its fragile health system could collapse under a coronavirus outbreak.

Yemen’s Hadi hopes new governor calms Mahra tensions

In the wake of clashes between Saudi forces and local tribesmen in Mahra province, Yemen’s president appointed a new governor in the hope of preventing further violence.