*Yemen

                   Yemen political map


US military teams, intelligence deeply involved in aiding Yemen on strikes - (Jan 27, 2010)


The leader of the Shiite rebels in north Yemen said on Saturday in a message released on the Internet that he will accept the government's conditions to end the war if attacks against them cease.
Yemen rebels 'would accept conditional end to war' - ( Jan 30, 2010)


Yemen's government has rejected a cease-fire offer from the country's northern rebels and called on the militants to pledge not to attack neighboring Saudi Arabia. 
Yemen rejects rebels' cease-fire offer - (Jan 31, 2010)


Saudi says its troops clash with Yemen rebel snipers - (Jan 31, 2010)


My notes and thoughts: 
(1) Yemen's capital is in Sana'a. The president is al-Abdullah Saleh.
(2) Saudi Arabia, the US and Israel support Yemen's government with $$$, military toys and military training.
(3)The Houthis say the Yemen government is supported by anti-Shi'a backers including al-Qaeda. The Yemen government says the Houthis are supporting al-Qaeda.
(4) The Houthis headquarters is in Sa'dah, Yemen. Houthis are also known as Zaidi Shia Islamic rebels. Interestingly the president of Yemen, al-Abdullah Saleh also belongs to the Zaidi sect of Shia Islam. 
(5) The Yemen government claims that Houthis are traitors who want to overthrow the republic and reintstall an Islamic imamate system. 
(6) The Yemen government accused Shia scholars in Iran, Kuwait and Bahrain of giving support to the Houthis. The Houthis deny this accusation.  
(7) "Ali Larijani, speaker of the Iranian parliament is strong in his criticism: “The intervention of the Saudi government in Yemen and repeated bombardment of unprotected Yemeni Muslims by Tornado and F-15 fighters is astounding. How has his Excellency [Saudi King Abdullah], the servant of the two honourable shrines, allowed Muslims’ blood to be spilt in Yemen by means of [Saudi] military devices? The news proves that the U.S. government has been the accomplice and assistant in such suppressive measures.” 
Yemen: A proxy war against Islamic Iran