November 24, 2009
Yemen conflict inflaming Saudi-Iranian rivalry
by Donna Abu-Nasr
The Associated Press
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- For years just an obscure fight raging in remote desert mountains, Yemen's war with Shiite rebels has been dragged up to a new level, inflaming the rivalry between the Middle East's two powerhouses Saudi Arabia and Iran.
That rivalry has encompassed nearly every conflict in the region: In Lebanon and Iraq and among the Palestinians, Iran has backed militant groups, and U.S. ally Saudi Arabia has supported its own proxies to counter them, fearing the spread of Tehran's power in the region.
Now Saudi Arabia is waging a heavy military assault against the Shiite Yemeni rebels on its border, warning of a new attempt by Tehran to spread its power.
It isn't certain Yemen's tiny but bloody war actually belongs in the same category as other Iran-Saudi flashpoints. Saudi Arabia and Yemen accuse Iran of sending weapons to the Shiite rebels, known as the Hawthis, and trying to bring the area into its sphere of influence.
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