The Middle East is considered one of the most volatile regions in the world. Even today, some of the world’s worst wars and insurgencies are going on in this region. Regarded as the cradle of civilizations, every state in the Middle East is vying for influence in one way or another. Among them, Yemen has long been the focal point of regional as well as international tensions, involving various stakeholders, insurgents, and rebels. The Muslim world, especially the Sunni-led governments, i.e., Saudi Arabia and its coalition, and the Shiite Iran, are the major rival factions influencing Yemen’s domestic political fabric. 

The deep-rooted involvement of these Muslim states not only benefits them but also the international players, including the US and Russia. Saudi Arabia and its coalition are the key allies of the US, whereas Iran and its proxies are a vital asset of influence for Russia. On 4 December 2025, after a long period of ceasefire, the UAE-backed militias expanded their control and seized various strategic territories in Yemen, confronting Saudi Arabia’s unified Yemen vision. This article critically analyzes the deep-rooted historical rift between different state and non-state actors operating in Yemen, the societal dynamics, and a new front of war opened between the KSA and the UAE.

A group of religious Yemenis, initially calling themselves the ‘Believing Youth,’ are members of a Shiite Muslim sect called the Zaidis. Before the unification of Yemen, the Zaidi community was in the majority. But in the new unified Yemen, they became a minority. During the 1990s, Hussein al-Houthi joined this group after resigning from the government and soon became the father of the Houthi movement – the Ansar Allah. This group holds control of nearly all........

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