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Articles by Ahmed Nagi
The Houthis Enter the Middle East War: What Comes Next?
Houthi supporters demonstrate in solidarity with Iran, as the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran continues, in Sanaa, Yemen, March 27, 2026. REUTERS / Khaled Abdullah It seemed clear from the outset of the Middle East war that the Houthis were never resolved to stay out of the fight; rather, their delayed entry reflected a calculated decision taken in coordination with Tehran. The question, as the Houthis themselves framed it, was not whether to join the fray, but when.
Train and Equip: The Threat of Houthi Partnerships in the Red Sea
The growing partnerships Yemen’s Houthis are cultivating with al-Shabab and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula are a potential threat multiplier for Red Sea security and global supply chains. Weapons smuggling boosts this network, as the Houthis work to shape routes for provisions and revenue to complement their alliance with Iran.
The Conflict in Yemen Is More Than a Proxy War
The eight-year civil war in Yemen has created what has been called the world’s worst manmade humanitarian crisis. Hundreds of thousands of Yemenis have been killed and some four million people displaced. According to the United Nations, 21.6 million people in the country require humanitarian assistance and 80 percent of the population struggles to put food on the table.
The Conflict in Yemen Is More Than a Proxy War
Sign in and save to read later Print this article Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Get a link Page url Request Reprint Permissions The eight-year civil war in Yemen has created what has been called the world’s worst manmade humanitarian crisis. Hundreds of thousands of Yemenis have been killed and some four million people displaced.
The Pitfalls of Saudi Arabia’s Security-Centric Strategy in Yemen
Summary Saudi Arabia’s security-oriented approach to Yemen has foundered. The Saudi-led coalition has failed to defeat the Houthis militarily or to restore the government the group toppled. Moreover, Saudi militarization of the border with Yemen has damaged the Yemeni economy—with negative consequences for Saudi Arabia. Crucially, Saudi Arabia’s security is contingent on Yemen’s stability and economic prosperity.
Saudi Arabia’s Split-Image Approach to Salafism
The modernisation policies in Saudi Arabia supervised by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have brought about a number of transformations in the structure of state institutions and Saudi society. One of the foremost domains in which change has been visible is religion. It is common to hear that the kingdom’s political-religious system was built on an alliance between the ruling Al Saud family and Wahhabi Salafism.
What Biden’s Visit to Saudi Arabia Means for Yemen
When U.S. President Joe Biden visits Saudi Arabia this week, the war in Yemen will be among the issues discussed by the countries’ leaders. But it will be a secondary issue, one whose importance will not exceed its security implications. This enshrines the traditional U.S. policy that looks at Yemen through the lens of what Yemen means to its neighbors and to the United States, not to Yemenis—a policy that brings no genuine stability to either Yemen or the region.
Biden’s Trip to the Middle East
After eighteen months in office, U.S. President Joe Biden will be making his first trip to the Middle East since he took office. The visit comes in the midst of ongoing negotiations to revive the nuclear deal with Iran, at a time when Washington’s regional allies consider Iranian behavior as a threat to their interests. It also comes at a time when the conflict in Ukraine has led to a sharp rise in energy prices.
Education in Yemen: Turning Pens into Bullets
Introduction Ahmed Nagi Ahmed Nagi is a nonresident scholar at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, where his research centers on Yemen. More > In Yemen, education and conflict are intertwined. This unfortunate state of affairs is not new. In fact, it predates the ongoing war, which erupted in 2014 and has only compounded the problem.
Yemeni Border Markets: From Economic Incubator to Military Frontline
Summary A string of border markets on Yemen’s northwestern border with Saudi Arabia turned the confluence of two countries’ peripheries into a center, gave rise to a distinct economic system, and bridged cross-border communities. The ongoing war in Yemen has either destroyed these markets or forced their closure. An end to the hostilities is unlikely to restore the status quo ante, owing to Saudi Arabia’s desire to establish a buffer zone. This would militarize the borderlands in perpetuity.
Marib, Yemen: Rising Above the Conflict
In April 2019, I went back to Yemen, my homeland, to witness firsthand how the ongoing war is affecting local communities. Upon reaching my first destination, the city of Marib, I was taken aback by the scale of change. The marginalized tribal area I once knew has become an epicenter in North Yemen. Unlike its neighbors in the north, Marib has been able to fend off constant Houthi rebel attacks, making it a refuge for thousands of internally displaced Yemenis.
What Does Biden’s Yemen Policy Mean for Saudi Arabia?
How Has Saudi Arabia Reacted to Biden’s Decisions on Yemen? On the surface, Biden’s announcements on Yemen signal a big policy shift. The most significant move is ending support for a grinding six-year Saudi-led military offensive in Yemen, while still defending Saudi Arabia against any attacks.
Yemen’s Old City of Sana’a: Stripped of Its Identity
While the devastating human and economic costs of crises plaguing countries such as Lebanon and Yemen are highly visible, there’s another cost that hits at the heart of their people—the loss of identity. Just as the August explosion in Beirut has further chipped away at the old city’s quarters, the unprecedented floods in Sana’a have brought breathtaking, ancient towers to their knees. And for many Yemenis, this symbolizes yet another attack on their national identity.
Yemen and Coronavirus - Coronavirus in Conflict Zones: A Sobering Landscape
Table of Contents As the coronavirus spreads globally and the international community is preoccupied with the pandemic, some sides within Yemen’s ongoing war are taking advantage of the moment to reopen battlefronts.
Eastern Yemen’s Tribal Model for Containing Conflict
Summary The tribes of Mahra, a part of eastern Yemen that borders Oman, adhere to a code of conduct that has helped the area’s inhabitants mediate disputes and contain conflict at key points in the region’s history. This has ensured a degree of stability for Mahra even in times of war. Today, as the war in Yemen continues, the region is the site of a power struggle between Saudi Arabia and Oman.
Mahra, Yemen: A Shadow Conflict Worth Watching
In 2019, I traveled back to my homeland, Yemen, to see how the country is coping after almost six years of conflict. My journey to Mahra, a more remote governate in eastern Yemen, began with a seven-hour drive from the country’s southern city of Mukala. Once largely empty, the coastal road is now filled with countless pick-up trucks transporting people and goods—visible evidence that thousands of Yemenis seek a safer, better life there and beyond the border.
Oman’s Boiling Yemeni Border
The Yemeni province of Mahra, on the border with Oman, has not been reached by the war so far. However, Saudi Arabia – as Oman used to do to defend its influence – has started to support a large number of Mahari tribes. This has led to large community divisions in local tribal society, for the first time in the history of this eastern province. This support is not limited to the financial domain but also extends to the military.
Yemen’s Houthis Used Multiple Identities to Advance
Over the past two decades, the Houthis have advanced from being a local religious movement in Yemen’s northern governorate of Saada to being a de facto authority controlling the country’s capital, Sanaa, and most of its northern governorates. Several factors enabled this gain in power, including the breakdown of state institutions and the opportunities created by domestic and regional rivalries.
Oman’s Boiling Yemeni Border
The Yemeni province of Mahra, on the border with Oman, has not been reached by the war so far. However, Saudi Arabia – as Oman used to do to defend its influence – has started to support a large number of Mahari tribes. This has led to large community divisions in local tribal society, for the first time in the history of this eastern province. This support is not limited to the financial domain but also extends to the military.
Eleonora Ardemagni
Senior Associate Research Fellow, Italian Institute for International Political Studies Eleonora Ardemagni is a senior associate research fellow at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies, a teaching assistant at the Catholic University of Milan, and an adjunct professor at Aseri (Graduate School of Economics and International Relations). She is a Middle East Institute affiliate.
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