In 2014, after the protests and attempted formation of a transition council in 2011, the Houthis, a primarily Shiite collection of groups took over the capital Sana’a from the primarily Sunni government. The Houthis demanded the formation of a new government and a reduction in fuel prices via government subsidies. The Yemeni government recognized by the United Nations was forced into exile as the Houthis pressed southward from the capital. Fighting dissolved the military as some forces sided with the Houthis and others remained loyal to the government in exile. The fighting in 2015 expanded as Saudi Arabia organized a military coalition to intervene. The Saudi-led coalition, largely conducted via a massive number of airstrikes, did slow Houthi advances and opened the opportunity for the United Nations to host peace talks between the two parties. The talks stalled and the next two years saw continued fighting, a failed splinter faction from the Houthis and the formation of the Southern Transitional Council (STC). The STC formed as a separatist movement that sought to independently govern the port city of Aden. The STC has grown beyond the Port of Aden and fought both the Houthis and Yemeni government forces from 2017 to 2020. In 2020 a new unity government was formed to integrate the STC into the exiled government . Fighting has continued and expanded as the Houthis launched missile and drone strikes into Saudi Arabia, who responded with airstrikes on Sana’a in 2021. Ceasefires have been brokered since, and full military offensives have not been conducted as of December 2023.
Since 2015 the Saudi Arabia coalition has conducted over 24,000 air strikes. The airstrikes saw a Houthi response of over 4,000 missile, drone, and stand-off weapon strikes. Houthi drones offer a combat range of over 1000 km, putting most of the Red Sea and much of the Gulf of Aden under threat. The Houthi rebels have recently begun targeting cargo ships transiting the Red Sea. This has garnered the response of several nations that have begun organizing armed convoys to protect commercial vessels, however, the involvement of additional foreign assets may further escalate fighting in the region. Houthi rebels have claimed these vessels have been attacked due to possible ties to Israel, however, not all vessels attacked have had such connections. Such strikes threaten over $1 trillion dollars of goods that pass through the Red Sea for delivery across the globe.
This long span of fighting has taken its toll on the citizens of Yemen. The mass of fighting has disrupted food and medical supplies. This state of conflict has killed almost 400,000 people, most of them children. The economy of the country has been effectively cut in two, between regions controlled by the Houthis and the government-in-exile. 2017 saw a cholera outbreak of over one million cases that continued on through 2021, brought to an end by a UN sponsored vaccine program. The end result of this strife is over 20 million people in need of humanitarian aid, of which 14.5 million do not have enough food and 4 million have fled their homes and country. The political situation remains tenuous as both sides continue fighting. A global arms embargo remains in place, however, it is apparent that both sides are still actively purchasing and receiving arms ranging from rifles to drones and artillery. The constant fighting has also allowed the Islamic State (ISIS) and Al Qaeda to establish and maintain a presence in Yemen. Every faction active in Yemen has been accused of human rights violations. Every faction has also received backing from foreign powers, with most supplying arms in violation of the arms embargo implemented in 2015.
Resolving this situation will require work to slow or halt fighting to allow for peace talks and to open aid corridors. Although major offensives have not been undertaken, fighting at the borders of each faction’s territory continues. There are several questions delegates should consider when preparing for this committee:
- This conflict has been ongoing for over 10 years now, what issues originally started it, and can they be peacefully addressed?
- Many foreign powers have violated the arms embargo in Yemen, how can the benefits of supplying arms in Yemen be reduced?
- The United Nations does recognize a government for Yemen, how can it foster better communications between that government and the other factions?
