The Yemen War
A neutral, source-attributed briefing on Yemen's war — the Houthi-led conflict, Red Sea shipping disruption, and one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
Open the live conflict map → Common questionsLast updated: 2026-08-06 · Evergreen briefing — the live map and the headlines below carry the latest developments.
Key locations: Yemen War
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Sanaacity15.3694, 44.1910
Yemen's traditional capital, seized by Houthi forces in 2014 and still the seat of their administration.
Control: Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) — Al Jazeera, as of 2026-01-14Stale
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Adenport12.7794, 45.0367
Southern port city serving as the interim seat of Yemen's internationally recognized government.
Control: Internationally recognized government (Presidential Leadership Council) — Al Jazeera, as of 2026-01-14Stale
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Hodeidahport14.7979, 42.9545
Yemen's main Red Sea port and principal entry point for humanitarian aid, overlooking approaches to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.
Control: Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) — Al Jazeera, as of 2026-01-14Stale
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Maribcity15.4620, 45.3222
Oil- and gas-producing city east of Sanaa that has repeatedly repelled Houthi offensives and hosts large numbers of displaced Yemenis.
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Taizcity13.5789, 44.0178
Yemen's third-largest city, besieged and divided along front lines since 2015 with roads in and out subject to closure.
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Bab-el-Mandeb Straitchokepoint12.5804, 43.3311
Narrow maritime chokepoint between the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden through which a large share of global container traffic normally passes; repeatedly targeted by Houthi missile and drone attacks on shipping since late 2023.
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Al Mukha (Mocha)port13.3208, 43.2478
Historic Red Sea coffee-trade port south of Hodeidah that has changed hands multiple times during the war.
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Al Mukallaport14.5333, 49.1333
Main port of eastern Hadramawt governorate, briefly held by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in 2015-2016 before being retaken by a Saudi-led coalition offensive.
Key facts
- The Yemen War is a civil war in the Arabian Peninsula, currently Active (High intensity).
- Yemen's war pits the Houthi movement against the internationally recognized government and its backers. From 2023 the Houthis opened a Red Sea front — attacking commercial shipping and firing on Israel — which drew in external naval forces and a US air campaign (Operation Rough Rider, ended May 2025). The Houthis paused most shipping attacks after the October 2025 Gaza ceasefire, but renewed threats and sporadic strikes on Israel accompanied the 2026 Israel–US–Iran escalation.
- Key actors: Houthi movement (Ansar Allah), Yemeni government and coalition, External naval forces.
- What's at stake: Global shipping, Humanitarian crisis, Regional escalation.
Latest developments
The headlines below are pulled automatically from Google News (the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) and link to primary reporting. They are updated periodically; last refreshed 2026-08-06.
- Yemen’s Houthis claim drone attack on Saudi airport2026-08-04 — Anadolu Ajansı
- Yemen's Houthis say they attacked Saudi oil tankers in Red Sea, Gulf of Aden2026-08-05 — Reuters
- Yemen’s Houthis Say They’ll Target Tankers in Northern Red Sea2026-08-05 — Bloomberg.com
- Houthis v. Saudi Arabia: Round 2. This time it's regional.2026-07-30 — Responsible Statecraft
- A new Houthi front and expanded Iranian attacks risk sinking Gulf nations’ choke-point workaround and widening shipping risks2026-08-03 — The Conversation
- Service suspended at a Saudi airport after attack claimed by Houthis2026-08-06 — The Times of Israel
- Saudi Arabia prepares military operations against Houthis in Yemen conflict2026-08-03 — The Jerusalem Post
- Saudi Arabia Tries Diplomacy to Stop Houthi Attacks Growing2026-08-04 — Bloomberg.com
Overview
Yemen's war pits the Houthi movement against the internationally recognized government and its backers. From 2023 the Houthis opened a Red Sea front — attacking commercial shipping and firing on Israel — which drew in external naval forces and a US air campaign (Operation Rough Rider, ended May 2025). The Houthis paused most shipping attacks after the October 2025 Gaza ceasefire, but renewed threats and sporadic strikes on Israel accompanied the 2026 Israel–US–Iran escalation.
UN OCHA estimated that more than 22 million people in Yemen would need humanitarian assistance in 2026, with over 18 million acutely food insecure (OCHA Yemen Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, March 2026).
This page is an evergreen orientation. Front lines, shipping-attack activity, and humanitarian figures change continually — confirm the latest figures with the primary sources listed below.
Key actors
- Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) — controlling much of northern Yemen.
- Yemeni government and coalition — the internationally recognized government and supporting states.
- External naval forces — states protecting Red Sea shipping lanes.
- Civilian population — communities facing one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises.
What's at stake
- Global shipping: disruption to Red Sea and Suez Canal trade routes.
- Humanitarian crisis: widespread hunger, displacement, and disease.
- Regional escalation: links to the Iran–Israel confrontation and Gulf security.
- State fragmentation: control of territory, ports, and institutions.
Yemen War explained: the key dynamics
The Houthis and Red Sea shipping
A defining feature of the current phase is Houthi attacks on commercial and naval vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, disrupting one of the world's busiest trade corridors and drawing in external naval forces.
A fragmented battlefield
Inside Yemen, the Houthis control much of the north and the capital, while the internationally recognized government and allied factions hold other areas. Front lines have been relatively frozen through long stretches of the war.
Humanitarian collapse
Years of war have left much of the population dependent on aid, with widespread hunger, displacement, and the collapse of basic services — repeatedly described as among the world's worst humanitarian crises.
Timeline: how the yemen war unfolded
- 2014 — Houthi forces seize the capital Sana'a, triggering the war.
- 2015 — A Saudi-led coalition intervenes on behalf of the recognized government.
- 2022 — A UN-brokered truce reduces front-line fighting, though tensions persist.
- 2023–26 — Red Sea shipping attacks expand the conflict's international dimension.
How this conflict is mapped and tracked
Yemen combines front-line combat, airstrikes, and maritime attacks, each captured differently: ACLED geolocates land and air events, maritime incidents are tracked by naval and shipping bodies, and humanitarian agencies estimate the civilian toll. Fatality and famine figures are estimates compiled under difficult access conditions.
For how these datasets differ, see ACLED vs UCDP vs CFR and our guide to conflict-tracking tools.
Conflict in Yemen and the Red Sea
Yemen's civil war, which began in earnest in 2014 when Houthi (Ansar Allah) forces seized the capital Sanaa, has produced one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. A Saudi-led coalition intervened militarily in 2015; over a decade of conflict has killed an estimated 150,000–377,000 people, the majority from indirect causes including disease and starvation.
A fragile truce established in April 2022 and repeatedly extended has reduced large-scale ground combat, but the conflict remains active. The Houthis control the densely populated northwest, including Sanaa, Hodeidah, and Saada. The internationally recognized Yemeni government, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, controls portions of the south and east. The Southern Transitional Council, a UAE-backed separatist movement, governs much of Aden.
Since October 2023, the Houthis have launched over 100 attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming solidarity with Gaza. The United States, United Kingdom, and other nations have conducted hundreds of strikes on Houthi military infrastructure in response. The disruption to Red Sea shipping — through which approximately 12 percent of global trade transits — has added an economic dimension to the conflict's international significance.
How it fits the global picture
This is one of 29 active armed conflict theaters tracked on the Global Armed Conflicts Map. Explore related and concurrent conflicts:
Frequently asked questions
Is the Yemen war still going on in 2026?
Yes. As of mid-2026 Yemen's war and humanitarian crisis remained acute, though the Houthis had paused most Red Sea shipping attacks after the October 2025 Gaza ceasefire while threatening to resume amid the 2026 Israel–US–Iran escalation. Confirm the current status with ACLED, UCDP and the CFR Global Conflict Tracker.
Who is fighting in Yemen?
The principal parties are the Houthi movement and the internationally recognized government with its coalition backers; external naval forces are involved in protecting shipping.
How can I follow it live?
Use the interactive conflict map to see the Yemen theater alongside 28 other active conflicts, filter by intensity and region, and open intelligence briefings for each.
Why are the Houthis attacking ships in the Red Sea?
The Houthis have framed their maritime attacks as linked to the Gaza war, targeting vessels they associate with Israel and its partners; the attacks disrupt global shipping through the Suez route.
Who recognizes the Yemeni government?
The internationally recognized government, rather than the Houthi authorities in Sana'a, holds Yemen's seat at the UN and is backed by a coalition of regional states.
Source provenance
- Al Jazeera 204 days · as of 2026-01-14
- News feed 0 days · as of 2026-08-06
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-06 | Headlines refreshed | News feed |
| 2026-01-14 | Sanaa control updated | Al Jazeera |
| 2026-01-14 | Aden control updated | Al Jazeera |
| 2026-01-14 | Hodeidah control updated | Al Jazeera |