The Marib front in Yemen’s Civil War

Abstract

In February 2021, the Houthi movement in Yemen launched a new offensive to capture the strategically significant Marib province. The group – which has controlled Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, since 2015 – is supported by Iran. The Yemeni government is supported by a coalition of countries led by Saudi Arabia and has fought the Houthis to a standstill with help from the Saudis in the form of airstrikes. If the Houthis succeed in capturing Marib, the group could use proceeds from the region’s natural resources to extend its offensive to the east and south.