On the evening of May 3, 2026, the southern city of Aden was shaken by a crime that revived memories of the lawlessness that followed Yemen’s war.

The wave of assassinations that has swept through Yemen’s temporary capital of Aden in recent days has once again thrust the city’s file of assassinations that took place over the past years back into the spotlight, following the Houthi coup against Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

Yemen’s crisis has enabled networks to recruit vulnerable youths into Russia’s war in Ukraine, turning them into tools of a wider conflict.

The Saudi oil pipeline through Yemen is a geopolitical project to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, but its future remains uncertain due to Yemeni instability, Houthi opposition, and regional rivalries.

Saudi Arabia’s Yemen approach depends on fragmented proxies that failed to stabilize the country, while the Islah party remains a structured but mistrusted actor whose role hinges on a shift toward real partnership.