Saudi Arabia and Yemen Sign Border Agreement
June 30, 2000
Saudi Arabia and Yemen sign an agreement to end years of border disputes.
USS Cole Attack
October 30, 2000
Terrorists crash an explosive boat into the USS Cole while the latter was docked outside the port city of Aden, killing 17 American sailors.
Electoral Violence in Yemen
March 2, 2001
Contested municipal elections and referendum extend presidential term and powers, at least 40 people killed in election-related violence.
Yemen Cracks Down on AQAP
March 2, 2002
Government cracks down on al-Qaeda by expelling more than 100 foreign Islamic clerics
USS Cole Suspects Escape
April 1, 2003
10 suspects in the bombing of the USS Cole in 2001 escape from prison. Two are recaptured by 2004.
Founder of the Houthis Killed
September 8, 2004
Hussein al-Houthi, founder of the Shia separatist group, is killed by government troops.
Houthi Resurgence
March 11, 2005
Supporters of deceased al-Houthi resume revolt in northern Yemen, resulting in 1500 deaths
Unrest Over Fuel Subsidies
July 11, 2005
Demonstrators and police clash over cuts in fuel subsidies, resulting in 36 deaths.
Attempts at Reconciliation
March 22, 2006
More than 600 al-Houthi supporters are released under amnesty negotiations.
Saleh Gets Re-elected
September 30, 2006
After pressure from the public to seek another term, incumbent President Saleh wins the election.
Houthi Ceasefire
June 26, 2007
Houthi rebels accept a ceasefire after months of clashes with security forces.
Houthis Clash Again
January 28, 2008
Houthi rebels and government forces clash again.
Yemenis Suspect Corruption
April 28, 2008
Southern Yemenis protest and fight against government troops for suspected bias in job allocations towards citizens in northern Yemen.
Yemen Strikes on Houthi Rebels
August 31, 2009
Army launches new attacks against Houthi rebels, displacing tens of thousands of people.
Ceasefire in Yemen
February 28, 2010
The government and Houthis negotiate a ceasefire which fails by December.
Yemeni Army Fights Separatists
September 30, 2010
Yemeni Army fights against southern separatists, displacing thousands of civilians.
Arab Spring in Yemen
January 31, 2011
Through June, Yemen Arab Spring protesters clash with loyalists of President Salih. After being injured in a bombing attack, Salih agrees to transfer power to the vice-president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, and democratic elections are scheduled.
Elections in Yemen
February 29, 2012
Yemen democratically holds elections, with interim-president Had? as the only candidate on the ballot. Mr. Had? is elected.
Yemen Calls for End to Drone Strikes
December 31, 2013
Yemeni Parliament calls for end to drone strikes after a U.S. missile mistakenly hits a wedding convoy, killing more than a dozen people.
Houthis Take Sana’a
December 31, 2014
Yemen’s Houthi ethnic rebels launch assaults against the state and invade the capital city of Sana’a, successfully taking control of government facilities.
Move to Aden
January 31, 2015
Yemen’s president, Mr. Hadi, relocates national operations to the city of Aden, while Saudi-led coalition of the GCC, launches airstrikes against Houthi fighters.
Jordan in Regional Conflict
February 28, 2015
Jordan continues airstrikes against Daesh, and receives $113 million in EU loans to help Syrian refugee crisis. Jordan also joins the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Airstrikes on Houthis
March 31, 2015
The UAE and four other GCC states coordinate Saudi-led air strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Qatar Joins Coalition against Houthis
March 31, 2015
Qatar joins the GCC states in air strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Bahrain Joins the Fight in Yemen
March 31, 2015
Bahrain joins the GCC states in launching airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Cyclone Chapala
November 30, 2015
Cyclone Chapala, the first known hurricane-strength storm from the Arabian Sea, hits Yemen.
Casualties of War
March 30, 2016
Fighter jets from the Saudi-led military coalition kill at least 41 civilians in Yemen; Houthi rebels agree to a prisoner exchange and report they are open to negotiation.
Houthis Begin their Insurgency
July 8, 2016
The Houthi clan begins years-long fight with federal government, capitalizing on anti-American sentiment to gain support in the country.
Saudi-led airstrikes hit funeral in Sanaa
October 15, 2016
A Saudi Arabian-led coalition admitted to bombing a funeral in Sanaa, killing at least 140 people and wounding about 600.
Cholera outbreak affects millions
October 20, 2016
An outbreak of cholera began in October of 2016 and is still ongoing (as of 2018). With some 600,000 confirmed cases and over 100,000,000 suspected cases, the outbreak is among the worst in history.
Houthis fire missile at Saudi capital ahead of Trump’s visit
May 19, 2017
Just hours ahead of US President Donald Trump’s arrival in the country, Saudi Arabia said it had shot down a ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi movement, southwest of the capital Riyadh.
Ali Abdullah Saleh killed in Sanaa
December 4, 2017
Yemen’s former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, was killed during a Houthi-led attack.
UAE-backed separatists take control of Aden
January 30, 2018
Southern Yemeni separatists, supported by the UAE, took control of the port city of Aden after two days of fighting.