Crisis in Yemen: Causes and Implications

Abstract

The crisis in Yemen is the latest of the trouble spots in a long list of flashpoints in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and its allies initiated an air campaign against Yemen in 2015. The objective was to dislodge Houthi tribesmen who had taken over eastern parts of Yemen. This military campaign persists till date in one form or the other. The Yemeni tribal feuds are ancient and perennial. How did they catapult into a regional conflagration? Saudi Arabia alleges that the Houthis receive backing from Iran. This situates the Yemen crisis within the Saudi-Iranian geopolitical competition. The geopolitical aspect pertains to the regional balance of power, and the aspect of geopolitical alliances. Another implication of the meltdown of the Yemeni state relates to the future of democracy as a model of governance, in view of rising sectarianism in the region.