Yemen war escalates: Who are the key actors involved?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that Yemen’s long-running civil war has intensified again after Houthi forces launched attacks in multiple areas against government forces backed by Saudi Arabia. The latest fighting has also crossed Yemen’s borders, with the Houthis striking southern Saudi Arabia and causing injuries, while the broader conflict remains the most serious flare-up since a UN-mediated truce in 2022. The war has already caused major civilian suffering over more than a decade, and the renewed clashes raise fresh concerns about regional escalation.

The article identifies the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, as the main rebel force. They control much of northern and western Yemen, including Sanaa, and have fought the Saudi-led coalition for years with support from Iran. Al Jazeera notes that the group has developed missile and drone capabilities and has recently drawn wider attention through attacks on Red Sea shipping and on Israel since the war in Gaza began in October 2023.

Saudi Arabia entered the war in 2015 to back the internationally recognised government and block Houthi expansion near its border. The current recognised governing structure is the Presidential Leadership Council, created in 2022 after former President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi handed over his powers. The council is backed by Saudi Arabia and includes anti-Houthi figures from across Yemen.

Al Jazeera also points to other aligned factions, including the Islah party and the National Resistance Forces led by Tareq Saleh. These groups are part of the anti-Houthi camp and reflect the fractured nature of Yemen’s conflict, where competing local, regional and geopolitical interests continue to shape the war.