Relationship dossier
United States
Yemen
Relationship assessment
U.S. support for Yemen’s recognized government coexists with counterterrorism operations and conflict involving Houthi forces.
United States toward Yemen
0The United States has supported Yemen’s internationally recognized government and provided humanitarian assistance. It has also conducted counterterrorism operations and, from 2024, strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen, making its conduct toward the country mixed.
Yemen toward United States
+15Yemeni governments have cooperated with the United States on counterterrorism, including during the Saleh era. Yemen’s political fragmentation and the limits of central government authority complicate assessment of policy across the country.
Overall relationship
+5The relationship includes U.S. support for Yemen’s recognized government and humanitarian assistance, as well as counterterrorism cooperation. U.S. military operations against armed groups in Yemen and the country’s political fragmentation complicate this cooperation and shape the bilateral relationship.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
U.S. policy toward Yemen has combined support for the internationally recognized government and humanitarian assistance with counterterrorism operations and military action against Houthi forces on Yemeni territory. Yemeni governments have cooperated with the United States on counterterrorism, though Yemen’s political fragmentation makes it difficult to characterize policy across the country as a whole.
Areas of tension
- U.S. military strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen
- The impact of U.S. counterterrorism operations on Yemeni sovereignty and civilian safety
Key developments
The United States provided support to Yemen’s recognized government in its counterterrorism efforts during the Saleh era.
The United States began strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen amid attacks on shipping and U.S. forces.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and continuity of Yemeni government counterterrorism cooperation with the United States are unclear.
- The effects of U.S. military operations on broader bilateral relations are uncertain.