The Civil War in Yemen is an ongoing conflict between the Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the Saudi Arabian-backed internationally recognized government. The conflict broke out in 2014 and, over the past ten years, has led to more than 377,000 deaths through direct and indirect causes.1 Millions of Yemenis have been displaced, and around five million are at risk of famine.  Both sides of this war have committed grave human rights abuses and atrocities, creating what the United Nations (UN) has referred to as one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world right now. 

Overview of the Conflict 2014-2024 

The civil war in Yemen began with an uprising against President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi’s internationally recognized government in 2014. The uprising was led by the Houthi rebels, formally known as Ansar Allah, in conjunction with forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.2 Under former president Saleh, there were protests and unrest likely due in part to the mass uprisings occurring across the middle east at the time, known as the Arab Spring, which occurred in 2011. While the Saleh administration managed to suppress these uprisings, they did so through violent crackdowns against protestors, which left the military fractured, as some of the leaders of the uprising had been military personnel from Saleh’s administration who defected.3 

Amidst the unrest, President Saleh stepped down in 2012 after 33 years in power and was succeeded by his deputy Hadi.4 In 2014, Houthi rebels overthrew the Hadi government, which they accused of corruption and marginalization, such as a lack of transparency and accountability in the use of state funds and resources. The Battle of Sanaa marked the official start of the war in Yemen. Houthi rebels captured the capital, Sanaa, dissolved the government, and demanded political and economic reforms. By 2014, it is generally agreed upon amongst experts that the Houthi rebels were receiving military support and weapons from Iran. Some experts even suggest that Houthis may have been receiving Iranian military support as early as 2009.5 

In January 2015, the Houthis dissolved parliament and formed a presidential council as the proclaimed new governing body of Yemen. That March, Yemen saw the first major military engagement between the Houthi rebels and the Hadi-led government, known as the Battle of Aden Airport. As the conflict escalated, President Hadi sought refuge in Saudi Arabia. In the month following the battle in Aden, Saudi Arabia led a coalition launching a military intervention, known as Operation Decisive Storm, in Yemen in support of the Hadi government. This military intervention included airstrikes against Houthi targets. The Saudi-led coalition received logistical and intelligence support from the United States, as well as arms sales. In September 2015, President Hadi returned to Yemen from exile, stationing himself in Aden and declaring it the temporary Capital of Yemen.6 

The conflict in Yemen continued into 2016, with the humanitarian situation becoming increasingly worse. Millions of Yemeni citizens faced food insecurity and medical supply shortages, and human rights groups vocalized concerns about civilian casualties in Yemen amidst frequent clashes between the Iran-backed Houthis, pro-Hadi forces, and Saudi-led coalition. Despite these concerns, the United States Department of State approved the sale of $1.5 billion worth of tanks and various military equipment to the Saudi-led coalition.7 By 2017, the largely stalemated conflict had led Yemen to one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.8 Amidst poorly progressing diplomatic efforts, such as UN-mediated peace talks to address the war, the Trump administration decided in January to designate Yemen as an area of active hostilities. In doing so, many restrictions on military operations were relaxed, creating the opportunity for more aggressive US involvement in the conflict.9 In the following months, the US carried out a series of airstrikes against al-Qaeda targets in Yemen.10 

In late 2018, United Nations Resolution 2451 was passed by the UN Security Council in support of the previously created Hodeidah Agreement or Stockholm Agreement, which included negotiations on the delivery of humanitarian aid through the ports of Hodeidah, as well as a prisoner exchange agreement.. This was a significant supporting resolution passed as part of the UN-led peace talks and serves as the basis and framework for much of the ongoing peace efforts.11In late 2018, the Trump administration announced an end to the US refueling support for aircraft belonging to the Saudi coalition operating in Yemen, on the basis that Saudi Arabia had improved defense capabilities and the United States aimed to focus on peace efforts.12 

In 2019, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution to end US military involvement in Yemen, invoking the War Powers Act. The resolution then passed in the Senate but was vetoed by President Trump.13 Following this, the Senate passed a bipartisan resolution in December which condemned Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia for the alleged killing of journalist Jamāl Aḥmad Khāshqujī and also called for an end to United States military support for the Saudi coalition in Yemen.14 

In February 2020, President Trump’s administration announced that they planned to designate the Houthi rebels as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). This generated concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, as designation as an FTO can impede the delivery of humanitarian aid and can harm Yemeni civilians. Despite these concerns, the administration proceeded with the designation of the Houthis as an FTO in December 2020.15 

During his first month in office in 2021, the Biden administration reversed Trump’s decision to designate the Houthis as an FTO. 16 The administration also announced the suspension of offensive military support for the Saudi coalition in Yemen, including certain arms sales. However, the Biden administration maintained defensive aid aimed at countering attacks across the border by the Houthi rebels. 17 It is also worth noting that in April of 2021, Biden announced the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, representing a significant shift in US foreign policy priorities in the Middle East.18 The Biden administration also announced plans to provide additional funding to Yemen to address famine and support for diplomatic efforts towards a ceasefire through peace talks.19 In 2021, the UN mandate to investigate war crimes in Yemen was also shut down by a vote in the UN Human Rights Council.20 

The conflict continued into 2022, with sporadic fighting across Yemen and a number of humanitarian organizations continuing to provide aid to millions of affected Yemenis. During this period, there was also increasing international pressure to reach a political solution to the conflict. However, doing so was complicated by various obstacles, such as the competing factions within Yemen. In 2022, President Hadi also handed his executive power off to a Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), which is backed by the US, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.21 In March, the Biden administration proceeded with arms sales to Saudi Arabia, drawing criticism given the kingdom’s role in human rights abuses in Yemen.22 

In 2023, the Biden administration announced additional humanitarian assistance for Yemen and emphasized their commitment to achieving a political solution to the conflict. 23 The events on and after October 7th in Israel further complicated and exacerbated the conflict in Yemen, as the Houthi rebels and Tehran are unequivocally opposed to Israel. The Houthis have since attacked supposed United States and Israel-linked targets in the Red Sea and have also fired missiles at Israel, with the support of Iran in targeting vessels. In January, US forces managed to intercept a shipment of military aid heading to the Houthis from Iran, which included missile units and drone parts.24. Shortly thereafter, the Biden administration redesignated the Houthis as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT).25 This differs only slightly from an FTO designation in that the restrictions associated with such a designation can be undone more easily should there be a de-escalation in hostilities and humanitarian waivers are meant to be more easily accessible.26 

Analysis/Policy Recommendations 

Regardless, the Biden administration’s decision to act unilaterally in redesignating the Houthis as a terrorist group was an ineffective policy choice when it comes to achieving lasting peace in Yemen. To begin with, the administration could have utilized the possibility of lifting the Trump administration’s terrorist designation against the Houthis as leverage to bring the Houthis to the table for peace negotiations. Instead, the designation was reversed unconditionally. Now, with the administration backtracking on their previous policy with the new terrorist designation, the timing creates the appearance that the Houthi rebels are being sanctioned for their stance on Palestine and not for the grave human rights abuses and numerous assaults on international trade they have culpability in. From a foreign policy standpoint, this is detrimental to the regional perception of the United States as a patron of security in the Middle East. This perception has already been negatively affected by the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan and its unwavering stance on the conflict in Gaza. Furthermore, this designation will impede the progress that the UN envoy to Yemen has made as peace talks are postponed indefinitely, and efforts by the UN to deliver humanitarian aid will also be further complicated. Additional negative repercussions of this designation include harm to the Yemeni currency, the operations between banks in areas of Yemen under Houthi control, and difficulty for civilians receiving remittances from relatives in the diaspora.27 

Attacks by the Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden have continued throughout recent months. Since November, the Houthis have launched upwards of 50 attacks on shipping, seized control of one shipping vessel, and sunk another. Joint British-US airstrikes against the Houthis have occurred in response to the attacks, but no substantive progress toward peace has been made. 28 

In order to achieve lasting peace in Yemen and create a political solution to the conflict, the United States should refrain from taking unilateral actions in Yemen and instead opt toward using UN mechanisms and resolutions. Furthermore, the US should pressure regional allies such as Egypt to use leverage against the Houthis, which may bring them closer to a ceasefire. Furthermore, the United States should work towards peace in Gaza, given the fact that the Houthis are utilizing the conflict to legitimize their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and other acts. If peace in Gaza can be prioritized, there is a greater chance of bringing the Houthis to the table for peace talks.29 While the United States has undeniably made foreign policy missteps when it comes to addressing the humanitarian toll of this war, there is still the opportunity for the US to help forge a political solution to this grueling conflict, which has prolonged itself at such a high cost of human life. 

1 “War in Yemen,” Cfr.org, Council on Foreign Relations: Global Conflict Tracker, 2024, https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/war-yemen#:~:text=The%20UN%20estimates%20that%2060,in %20dire%20need%20of%20assistance

2 Kali Robinson, “Iran’s Support of the Houthis: What to Know,” Cfr.org, Council on Foreign Relations, 2024, https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/irans-support-houthis-what-know. 

3 “Houthi rebels take over Yemen's Hodeidah port: residents,” Reuters.com, Reuters, 2014, https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0I40HA/. 

4 Marcus Montgomery, “A Timeline of the Yemen Crisis, from the 1990s to the Present,” Arabcenterdc.org, Arab Center Washington DC, 2021. 

https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/a-timeline-of-the-yemen-crisis-from-the-1990s-to-the-present/.

5 Kali Robinson, “Iran’s Support of the Houthis: What to Know,” Cfr.org, Council on Foreign Relations, 2024, https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/irans-support-houthis-what-know. 

6 Marcus Montgomery, “A Timeline of the Yemen Crisis, from the 1990s to the Present,” Arabcenterdc.org, Arab Center Washington DC, 2021. 

https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/a-timeline-of-the-yemen-crisis-from-the-1990s-to-the-present/.

7Idrees Ali, “U.S. approves $1.15 billion sale of tanks, equipment to Saudi Arabia,” Reuters.com, Reuters, 2016, https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN10K1JR/. 

8 Tristan Dunning, “Yemen—the ‘worst humanitarian crisis in the world’ continues,” Aph.gov.au, Parliament of Australia, 2018. 

https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1819/Yeme n#_ftn1. 

9 “The War in Yemen,” Newamerica.org, New America, 2024, 

https://www.newamerica.org/future-security/reports/americas-counterterrorism-wars/the-war-in-yemen. 

10 Ibid. 

11“UNITED NATIONS MISSION TO SUPPORT THE HUDAYDAH AGREEMENT,” Dppa.un.org, The United Nations, 2024, https://dppa.un.org/en/mission/unmha-hudaydah-agreement.

12 John Hudson, Missy Ryan. “Trump administration to end refueling of Saudi-coalition aircraft in Yemen conflict,” Washingtonpost.com, The Washington Post, 2018, 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-administration-to-end-refueling-for-saudi-coalition aircraft-in-yemen/2018/11/09/d08ff6c3-babd-4958-bcca-cdb1caa9d5b4_story.html. 

13 Deb Riechmann, “Trump vetoes measure to end US involvement in Yemen war,” Apnews.com, The Associated Press, 2019, https://apnews.com/article/1b17cee217b344d8a3a03642139fb606. 

14 “Senate votes to end US support of Saudi-led Yemen war,” Bbc.com, The British Broadcasting Corporation, 2019, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47564274. 

15 Lucy van der Kroft, “Yemen’s Houthis and the Terrorist Designation System,” Icct.nl, International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, 2021, https://www.icct.nl/publication/yemens-houthis-and-terrorist-designation-system.

16 Nick Schifrin, Ali Rogan, “In foreign policy shift, Biden lifts terrorist designation for Houthis in Yemen,” pbs.org, The Public Broadcasting Service, 2021, 

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/in-foreign-policy-shift-biden-lifts-terrorist-designation-for-houthis-in-yemen. 

17 Jeff Abramson, “U.S. Arms Sales Under Review,” Armscontrol.org, Arms Control Association, 2021, https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2021-03/news/us-arms-sales-under-review. 

18 “Remarks by President Biden on the Drawdown of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan,” Whitehouse.gov, The White House, 2021. 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/07/08/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-drawdown-of-u-s-forces-in-afghanistan/#:~:text=When%20I%20announced%20our%20drawdown,our%20troops%20as% 20they%20depart. 

19 “US announces $165M in humanitarian aid to Yemen,” Aljazeera.com, Aljazeera, 2021, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/9/us-announces-165-million-humanitarian-aid-to-yemen.

20 “UN Human Rights Council votes to end Yemen probe,” Una.org.uk, United Nations Association - UK, 2021, https://una.org.uk/news/un-human-rights-council-votes-end-yemen-probe#:~:text=On%20Thursday%20(7%20Octo ber)%20the,investigators%20for%20another%20two%20years. 

21 Mohamed Ghobari, Ahmed Tolba, “Yemen president cedes powers to council as Saudi Arabia pushes to end war,” Reuters.com, Reuters, 2022. 

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/yemen-president-relieves-deputy-his-post-2022-04-07/. 

22 Jeff Abramson, “Biden Urged to Halt Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia,” Armscontrol.org, Arms Control Association, 2022, https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2022-11/news/biden-urged-halt-arms-sales-saudi-arabia. 

23 Antony Blinken, “Additional Humanitarian Assistance for the People of Yemen,” State.gov, U.S. Department of State, 2023, https://www.state.gov/additional-humanitarian-assistance-for-the-people-of-yemen/. 

24 Kali Robinson, “Iran’s Support of the Houthis: What to Know,” Cfr.org, Council on Foreign Relations, 2024, https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/irans-support-houthis-what-know.

25 Antony Blinken, “Terrorist Designation of the Houthis,” State.gov, U.S. Department of State, 2024, https://www.state.gov/terrorist-designation-of-the-houthis/. 

26 Farea Al-Mulsimi, “Redesignating the Houthis a terrorist group is not a bad policy: it is no policy at all,” Chathamhouse.org, Chatham House, 2024, https://www.chathamhouse.org/2024/01/redesignating-houthis-terrorist-group-not-bad-policy-it-no-policy-all. 

27 Farea Al-Mulsimi, “Redesignating the Houthis a terrorist group is not a bad policy: it is no policy at all,” Chathamhouse.org, Chatham House, 2024, 

https://www.chathamhouse.org/2024/01/redesignating-houthis-terrorist-group-not-bad-policy-it-no-policy-all.

28 “Yemen’s Houthis launch attacks on US, Israeli vessels as warships defend,” Aljazeera.com, Aljazeera, 2024, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/25/yemens-houthis-launch-attacks-on-us-israeli-vessels-as-warships-defend. 

References 

“War in Yemen.” cfr.org. Council on Foreign Relations: Global Conflict Tracker, 2024. https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/war-yemen#:~:text=The%20U N%20estimates%20that%2060,in%20dire%20need%20of%20assistance. 

Robinson, Kali. “Iran’s Support of the Houthis: What to Know.” Cfr.org. Council on Foreign Relations, 2024. https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/irans-support-houthis-what-know. 

29 Farea Al-Mulsimi, “Redesignating the Houthis a terrorist group is not a bad policy: it is no policy at all,” Chathamhouse.org, Chatham House, 2024, 

https://www.chathamhouse.org/2024/01/redesignating-houthis-terrorist-group-not-bad-policy-it-no-policy-all.

“Houthi rebels take over Yemen's Hodeidah port: residents.” Reuters.com. Reuters, 2014. https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0I40HA/. 

Montgomery, Marcus. “A Timeline of the Yemen Crisis, from the 1990s to the Present.” Arabcenterdc.org. Arab Center Washington DC, 2021. 

https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/a-timeline-of-the-yemen-crisis-from-the-1990s-t o-the-present/. 

Ali, Idrees. “U.S. approves $1.15 billion sale of tanks, equipment to Saudi Arabia.” Reuters.com. Reuters, 2016. https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN10K1JR/. 

Dunning, Tristan. “Yemen—the ‘worst humanitarian crisis in the world’ continues.”Aph.gov.au. Parliament of Australia, 2018. 

https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliament ary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1819/Yemen#_ftn1. 

“The War in Yemen.” Newamerica.org. New America, 2024. 

https://www.newamerica.org/future-security/reports/americas-counterterrorism-w ars/the-war-in-yemen. 

“UNITED NATIONS MISSION TO SUPPORT THE HUDAYDAH AGREEMENT.” Dppa.un.org. The United Nations, 2024. 

https://dppa.un.org/en/mission/unmha-hudaydah-agreement. 

Hudson, John. Ryan, Missy. “Trump administration to end refueling of Saudi-coalition aircraft in Yemen conflict.” Washingtonpost.com. The Washington Post, 2018. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-administration-to -end-refueling-for-saudi-coalition-aircraft-in-yemen/2018/11/09/d08ff6c3-babd-4 958-bcca-cdb1caa9d5b4_story.html. 

Riechmann, Deb.“Trump vetoes measure to end US involvement in Yemen war.” Apnews.com. The Associated Press, 2019. 

https://apnews.com/article/1b17cee217b344d8a3a03642139fb606. 

“Senate votes to end US support of Saudi-led Yemen war.” Bbc.com. The British Broadcasting Corporation, 2019. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47564274.

Van der Kroft, Lucy. “Yemen’s Houthis and the Terrorist Designation System.” Icct.nl. International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, 2021. 

https://www.icct.nl/publication/yemens-houthis-and-terrorist-designation-system. 

Schifrin, Nick. Rogan, Ali. “In foreign policy shift, Biden lifts terrorist designation for Houthis in Yemen.” Pbs.org. The Public Broadcasting Service, 2021. 

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/in-foreign-policy-shift-biden-lifts-terrorist-d esignation-for-houthis-in-yemen. 

Abramson, Jeff. “U.S. Arms Sales Under Review.” Armscontrol.org. Arms Control Association, 2021. https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2021-03/news/us-arms-sales-under-review. 

“Remarks by President Biden on the Drawdown of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan.” Whitehouse.gov. The White House, 2021. 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/07/08/remark s-by-president-biden-on-the-drawdown-of-u-s-forces-in-afghanistan/#:~:text=Wh en%20I%20announced%20our%20drawdown,our%20troops%20as%20they%20d epart. 

“US announces $165M in humanitarian aid to Yemen.” Aljazeera.com. Aljazeera, 2021. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/9/us-announces-165-million-humanitaria n-aid-to-yemen. 

“UN Human Rights Council votes to end Yemen probe.” Una.org.uk. United Nations Association - UK, 2021. 

https://una.org.uk/news/un-human-rights-council-votes-end-yemen-probe#:~:text =On%20Thursday%20(7%20October)%20the,investigators%20for%20another% 20two%20years. 

Ghobari, Mohamed. Tolba, Ahmed. “Yemen president cedes powers to council as Saudi Arabia pushes to end war.” Reuters.com. Reuters, 2022. 

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/yemen-president-relieves-deputy-his post-2022-04-07/. 

Abramson, Jeff. “Biden Urged to Halt Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia.” Armscontrol.org. Arms Control Association, 2022. 

https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2022-11/news/biden-urged-halt-arms-sales-saudi -arabia.

Blinken, Antony. “Additional Humanitarian Assistance for the People of Yemen.” State.gov. U.S. Department of State, 2023. 

https://www.state.gov/additional-humanitarian-assistance-for-the-people-of-yeme n/. 

Blinken, Antony. “Terrorist Designation of the Houthis.” State.gov. U.S. Department of State, 2024. https://www.state.gov/terrorist-designation-of-the-houthis/. 

Al-Mulsimi, Farea. “Redesignating the Houthis a terrorist group is not a bad policy: it is no policy at all.” Chathamhouse.org. Chatham House, 2024, 

https://www.chathamhouse.org/2024/01/redesignating-houthis-terrorist-group-not -bad-policy-it-no-policy-all. 

“Yemen’s Houthis launch attacks on US, Israeli vessels as warships defend.” Aljazeera.com. Aljazeera, 2024. 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/25/yemens-houthis-launch-attacks-on-us israeli-vessels-as-warships-defend.