Saudi Arabia and Yemen are two arabic speaking Sunni
Muslim-majority nations on the Arabian penisula with a
long history of hostility toward each other. However,
both nations are battling al-Qaida rebels, and both have
concerns about the growing influence of Shiite-majority
Iran and its growing influence in the Arab world. Yemen
has battled a local Shiite insurgency (called the Houthi
Rebellion or the Saadah Insurgency), in the northernmost
region of the country near the Saudi border.
As the Shiite rebellion in Yemen grew, and appeared to
be receiving aid from Saudi Arabia’s rival, Iran, the
Saudis in turn aided the Yemeni government. The Yemeni
rebels launched an incursion into Saudi Arabia in early
November, and a Saudi soldier was killed by the so-called
al-Houthi rebels along the border on Novermber 4, 2009,
and on November 6, Saudi forces openly intervened in the
Yemeni war with air strikes near the border and artillery
fire on rebel positions inside Yemen.
Saudi officials reported that as of Nov. 8, Saudi
military casualties included three killed, 15 wounded,
and four missing. Saudi Arabia claimed to have regained
control Saudi territory seized by the Yemeni rebels the
week before. Smoke from airstrikes rose above the Jebel
al-Dukhan, a 6,600-foot tall mountain on the border
between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, near the town of
Al-Khubah.
video of a Saudi
warplane over Yemen border
Web and News
Links on the Saudi-Yemen Border Wars:
http://www.historyguy.com/Saudi_Yemen_Border_Conflict_2009.htm
Saudi and Yemen battle Zaidi rebels–AFP, Nov. 8, 2009
Saudi Arabia says regains area seized by Yemen
rebels–Reuters, Nov. 8, 2009
Saudi
Forces Bomb Yemeni Rebels on Southern Border –Wall
Street Journal, Nov. 7, 2009
Houthis
Capture Saudi Soldiers, Saudi Bombing Yemen for Third
Day–Nov. 6, 2009
CIA
Factbook on Country or
conflict
–Click
on the country name (Yemen) at this site.
Security
Incidents in Yemen, 1998–From
the Al-bab website.
Tiny
Voices Defy Child Marriage in
Yemen–June
29, 2008
Massive
protest in south Yemen–by
Jane Novak, for the Long War Journal, May 27,
2008
Yemen’s
Intifada–by
Jane Novak, for the Long War Journal, January 2,
2008