Blood and Oil: The Hidden War for Yemen’s Energey Resources
As the world focuses on conflicts with more media attention, a darker and more insidious war rages on, obscured by the veil of indifference. The suffering of Yemen, reduced to the footnotes of geopolitical discourse, remains a damning indictment of the forces that claim to champion peace and democracy. At the end of July this year, news emerged of an agreement between the National Salvation Government of Yemen (Ansarullah) and Saudi Arabia, which some media presented as an arrangement between Ansarullah and the puppet government of Saudi Arabia in Yemen.
This so-called agreement was hailed as a breakthrough, especially with the anticipated resumption of Yemeni oil exports. Yet here we stand, over a month later, and nothing has changed. Why? The answer lies in the nefarious agenda of regional and global powers—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the United States—who, under the guise of diplomacy, continue their looting of Yemen's rich resources while condemning its people to suffering.
Contrary to popular narratives painting Yemen as a destitute, barren land, it is a country endowed with abundant natural resources, particularly in the provinces of Marib, Shabwa, and Hadhramout. These areas hold significant oil and gas deposits, a fact not lost on the occupiers. Since Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and their Western backers—chief among them the United States and the United Kingdom—began their brutal assault on Yemen, these regions have been systematically stripped of their wealth. The Southern areas of Yemen, under the occupation of these foreign powers, have witnessed an unchecked siphoning of their oil and gas, while the Yemeni people face crippling shortages and economic despair.
It is a travesty of justice that when the people of Yemen languished under severe fuel shortages, the occupiers blocked energy shipments from reaching the ports of Hodeida province. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia shamelessly sold oil from Yemen’s Hadhramaut province to Europe and China. The UAE, equally complicit, sold off the resources of Shabwa province and even Yemen's Socotra Island, enriching themselves while millions of Yemenis starved. The proceeds from this plunder were conveniently funneled back into the regions controlled by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, leaving the population under Ansarullah’s control—comprising nearly three-quarters of Yemen's population—without any benefit from their nation's wealth.
This grotesque imbalance prompted Ansarullah to take a stand. In an act of defiance, they targeted the oil ports under the control of the Saudi-backed puppet government, halting Yemen's oil exports in October 2022. Their message was clear: no longer would Yemen’s resources be pillaged without consequence. But, true to form, the Saudis and Emiratis swiftly retaliated, stalling any meaningful agreement between Yemeni factions. They knew that control over oil revenues was key to maintaining their grip on the country.
Oil revenue, which accounted for more than 70% of Yemen’s government budget before the war, remained the lifeline for the resigned government during the conflict. Production, though significantly reduced from 300,000 barrels per day to just 70,000, still provided the puppet government with essential funds—funds that never reached the majority of Yemenis. In 2020 alone, Yemen’s oil revenues stood at $700 million, rising to $998 million in 2021 and $800 million in just the first half of 2022. Yet, despite these vast sums, the people of Yemen continued to suffer, watching helplessly as their currency, the rial, collapsed—plummeting from 1,260 rials per dollar in June 2022 to 1,900 rials in July 2023. This economic devastation further drained the nation’s foreign exchange reserves, leaving Yemen perilously close to collapse.
Then, in late July 2023, under the pretense of resolving the economic crisis, the National Salvation Government of Yemen (Ansarullah) reached an agreement with Saudi Arabia. As part of this deal, Ansarullah agreed to ease economic tensions in exchange for a resumption of oil exports and the lifting of certain restrictions, including the reopening of Sanaa’s airport to commercial flights to destinations like Oman, Jordan, Cairo, and New Delhi. Additionally, the resigned Yemeni government was to receive full oil revenues for six months, with Saudi Arabia agreeing to cover the salaries of public sector employees in areas controlled by Ansarullah. On the surface, this seemed like progress, yet beneath it lay a deeper truth—one that reveals the ongoing manipulation by external actors.
As always, the Saudis and Emiratis remain unwilling to relinquish their stranglehold on Yemen. Despite the agreement, Saudi Arabia continues to obstruct its implementation. Why? Because they understand that allowing Yemen to control its own oil revenues—especially when Ansarullah stands to gain 50% of the proceeds—would strengthen the National Salvation Government and increase its legitimacy. The last thing Riyadh wants is a stable and prosperous Yemen, led by Ansarullah, emerging from the ashes of war. Nor does the United States, which quietly supports Saudi Arabia’s sabotage efforts, eager to maintain its influence over a fractured, destabilized Yemen.
America’s role in this ongoing tragedy cannot be overstated. Behind every Saudi airstrike, every embargo, and every plundered resource, the fingerprints of Washington are indelibly marked. The United States benefits from the continued conflict in Yemen. Peace and stability in the region would diminish its influence, reduce arms sales, and weaken its strategic foothold in the Gulf. So, the war must continue, Yemen’s wealth must be looted, and its people must remain in darkness, all while the architects of this destruction masquerade as champions of freedom.
The truth is, Yemen is not a failed state because of some inherent flaw in its people or its governance. Yemen is a failed state because of the deliberate, calculated actions of foreign powers who seek to exploit its resources and control its destiny. The Saudis, the Emiratis, and the Americans have no interest in a peaceful, self-sufficient Yemen. They profit from chaos, thrive on division, and will continue to sow discord until they have bled the nation dry.
Yemen deserves better. Its people deserve better. But as long as these foreign vultures continue their assault, the suffering will persist, and Yemen’s future will remain hostage to imperial greed.
