While the Islamic State has faced major defeats in Iraq and Syria, the protracted war in Yemen has provided the terrorist group's branch in that country oxygen to breathe.
Political and diplomatic efforts to negotiate a resolution to Yemen’s war have halted. Critical Threats Project analyst Maher Farrukh highlights that Yemeni and regional actors alike are now pursuing short-term gains on the ground rather than engaging in a political process. Yemen’s civil war is now thoroughly entangled in the Iranian-Saudi regional conflict, adding another layer of complexity to its resolution. Additionally, a contest for influence among Gulf partners in southern and eastern Yemen could add to instability in Yemen.
AEI’s Critical Threats Project team tracks developments related to Yemen closely and has a body of work on the issues driving the current conflict today. Here are some relevant highlights of the team’s recent analysis of the conflict: