Yemen

Country Spotlight

Yemen is a member in good standing of major nonproliferation agreements. With the outbreak of civil war in 2014, ballistic missiles and other weapons flowed into Yemen, and the Yemeni Houthis used the country’s territory to launch missile attacks against foreign belligerents in the conflict, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE. As a result of the ongoing conflict, Yemen is in an intense humanitarian crisis, leaving millions without access to basic social and health services, as well as necessary food, safe drinking water, and medicine.

Since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in late 2023, the Yemeni Houthis have launched missiles and drones at Israel and against commercial and naval ships in the Red Sea, prompting retaliation efforts by Israel. Additionally in response to these strikes, from March 2025 to May 2025 American and later also British forces targeted numerous locations tied to the Houthi Militia’s weapons manufacturing and military efforts.

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Region Middle East and North Africa

~300 Scud missiles stockpiled in 2015

2014 Current Yemen Civil War begins

~40 Number of chemical weapons attacks carried out by Egypt on Yemeni territory during the North Yemen Civil War in the 1960s

Nuclear

Not known to have ever pursued a nuclear weapons program
Has expressed interest in developing nuclear power, but ongoing conflict has prevented this
Party to International Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material

Biological

Not known to have ever pursued a biological weapons program
Signed the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) as North and South Yemen before unification in 1990

Missile

Possesses Soviet Scud ballistic missiles and North Korean Hwasong ballistic missiles
Most Yemeni missiles were seized by Houthi rebels after the start of the civil war
Ongoing civil war has been marked by extensive ballistic missile use by all parties

Chemical

Subjected to chemical weapons use by Egypt during the North Yemen Civil War in the 1960s
Not known to have ever pursued a chemical weapons program
Passed legislation in 2014 to strengthen domestic chemical regulations

Treaties and Regimes Memberships

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NPT

The NPT is a treaty aimed at limiting the spread of nuclear weapons through the three pillars of non-proliferation, disarmament, and peaceful use of nuclear energy.

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Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) requires countries to destroy all chemical weapons and prohibits developing, stockpiling, or using chemical weapons.

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Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM)

The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) focuses on the physical protection of peaceful use of nuclear materials.

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Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)

The BTWC mandates the elimination of existing biological weapons and prohibits developing, stockpiling, or using biological and toxin weapons.

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Analysis

on Yemen

Unpacking the 76th NATO Summit

Risky Business Jul 10, 2025

Unpacking the 76th NATO Summit

With force modernization as a topline issue, it was clear that the changing security landscape is reshaping the NATO members’ vision of the nuclear alliance.

Get to Know NTI: Grace Wankelman