Yemen's 1970s Border War with Saudi Arabia: The Najran Dispute

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the 1970s border conflict between North Yemen and Saudi Arabia, a little-known war that shaped modern Yemeni-Saudi relations. They trace the roots of the dispute back to the 1934 Treaty of Taif, which left the Najran, Asir, and Jizan regions in Saudi hands but sowed resentment in Sana'a. The conversation focuses on the 1972 border skirmishes, when Yemeni forces under President Abdul Rahman al-Iryani clashed with Saudi troops over tribal territories and oil prospects. Lucas explains how the conflict involved the Saudi-backed National Guard, the Yemeni army, and tribal levies from the Hashid and Bakil confederations. He highlights the role of the US and Soviet Union in the background, as the Cold War played out in the Arabian Peninsula. Luna asks about the 1974 ceasefire and the little-known Saudi-Yemeni Agreement of 1974, which reaffirmed the Treaty of Taif but failed to resolve the border. The episode ends with a reflection on how the unresolved Najran dispute contributed to Yemen's later crises, including the 1994 civil war and the current Saudi-led intervention.

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