Research & Analysis
U.S. Institute of Peace’s articles, reports, tools and other features provide policy analysis, research findings, and practitioner guides. These publications examine critical conflict issues at the center of the Institute’s work to prevent and resolve violent conflict.
The views expressed in these publications are those of the author(s).
The Current Situation in Yemen
Yemen’s regionalized civil war has divided the country, destroyed its meager infrastructure and created one the worst humanitarian crises in the world. From the start, it has been connected to a regional competition between Saudi Arabia (which has supported the internationally backed Yemeni government) and Iran (which has supported the Houthis). A U.N.-backed truce in 2022 brought relative calm to internal frontlines and, with help from the Sultanate of Oman and Saudi Arabia, the U.N. made progress toward a roadmap agreement to end the war. This progress was upended by the Gaza war in 2023, as the Houthis attacked Israel and international shipping through the Red Sea corridor. Houthi attacks, including on commercial shipping and U.S. naval assets, frayed international support for a peace deal that would see resources flow to the group and have set the country on different trajectory.
What the Houthis’ Foreign Terrorist Designation Could Mean for Yemen
The Trump administration has begun the process of redesignating Yemen’s Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) over the groups’ firing at U.S. warships; violently overthrowing Yemen’s internationally recognized government; launching attacks against civilian infrastructure in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and recently Israel; and attacking commercial shipping. After Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack, the Houthis fired missiles and drones at Israel and significantly disrupted commercial shipping by attacking ships in the Red Sea. Also known as Ansar Allah, the Iran-backed group says these attacks are done in solidarity with Hamas. They have held fire since the Gaza truce took hold on January 19.
April Longley Alley on the Houthis’ Reaction to the Gaza Cease-fire
With the cease-fire in Gaza, Yemen’s Houthis have halted their “near daily” attacks on Israel. However, the Houthis have made clear that “this is a very tenuous pause,” says USIP’s April Longley Alley, adding: “They view [Gaza] as part of a larger struggle … this is going to be a medium- and long-term threat.”
Israel-Houthi Tensions Heat Up – What’s Next?
Since Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack, Yemen’s Houthis have regularly attacked Israel, joining its fellow members of the Iran-backed “Axis of Resistance” in solidarity with Hamas. Not only have they fired missiles and drones at Israel, but the Houthis have also disrupted commercial shipping by attacking ships in the Red Sea, one of the world’s busiest maritime trade arteries. The pace of its attacks on Israel ramped up significantly in December.
After Assad’s Fall, Gulf States See Risks and Rewards in Syria
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries reacted quickly to the collapse of the Assad regime with public statements supporting the aspirations of the Syrian people, calling for respect of Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity, and warning against a descent into chaos. During Syria’s Arab Spring uprising, both Saudi Arabia and the UAE backed competing factions of the Syrian armed opposition. But following years of bloodshed, frustration with a divided opposition and what seemed like a deadlocked conflict, they decided to deal with facts on the ground by reopening diplomatic channels to try to pull Assad away from Iran’s orbit and address other priorities, including curtailing the Captagon trade and facilitating the return of Syrian refugees.
Protecting Water Infrastructure During War
The weaponization of water resources is among the most devastating tools used in violent conflict. And while this tactic has been pervasive throughout history, it’s on the rise. State and non-state actors across the globe are increasingly exploiting the capture, control and outright destruction of water resources and related infrastructure to inflict indiscriminate human suffering and further their own strategic and military aims. To put this devastating trend into historical context: Out of all the recorded incidents targeting water infrastructure over the last 2,000 years, 41 percent have occurred since 2020.
What the Houthi-Israel Exchange Might Mean for Escalation in the Middle East
The Middle East saw yet another escalatory episode over the weekend, as Israel and Yemen’s Houthis exchanged fire. On July 19, the Iran-backed Houthis launched an unprecedented drone attack on Israel, which hit an apartment building in downtown Tel Aviv, killing one and injuring at least 10 others. It was the first time that the Houthis killed or even harmed an Israeli, despite launching dozens of missile attacks on Israel since October 7. The next day, Israel struck back with an airstrike on the strategic port of Hodeida, marking the first time it attacked Yemen. The Israeli attack killed six, injured dozens more and left ablaze key oil facilities in the area.
A Slippery Slope? U.S., U.K. Launch Strikes on Iran-Backed Houthis in Yemen
On January 12, the United States and the United Kingdom, supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, launched military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the group’s attacks on civilian and military ships in the Red Sea. The U.S.-led strikes are a significant escalation and part of the growing regional impact of the Israel-Hamas war, which the United States has been actively trying to prevent from turning into a regional war.
Houthi Offensive ‘Primary Obstacle’ to Peace in Yemen, Says U.S. Special Envoy Lenderking
The Biden administration’s diplomatic efforts toward ending the war in Yemen are yielding international consensus on the need for a cease-fire and a more inclusive peace process, U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Timothy Lenderking said on February 8. However, Lenderking added, a military offensive by Houthi rebels is a major obstacle to those peace efforts.
Dialogues nationaux sur la consolidation de la paix et les transitions créativité et pensée adaptative
Dans le meilleur des cas, les processus de dialogue national promettent d’apporter un élan décisif à la transformation inclusive du conflit. Ce rapport examine les dialogues dans six pays: la République Centrafricaine, le Kenya, le Liban, le Sénégal, la Tunisie et le Yémen. Ces divers processus montrent les possibilités de favoriser le dialogue, de forger des accords et de progresser vers la paix; et le rapport offre des conseils détaillés sur les possibilités et les aspects pratiques pour ceux qui envisagent d'organiser un dialogue national.