Nadwa Al-Dawsari

Nadwa Al-Dawsari has 20 years of experience in Yemen and the Middle East. She is a Fellow at the Center on Armed Groups, a Nonresident Scholar at the Middle East Institute (MEI), and non-resident fellow at the Irregular Warfare Initiative. Nadwa's research examines the intersection of local conflict dynamics, non-state armed groups, and broader geopolitical competition, focusing on how foreign policy, peace efforts, and aid shape conflict and security in the region.

In her previous roles, Nadwa served as a senior non-resident scholar at the Project on Middle East Democracy, conflict advisor to the World Food Program, a Yemen Country Director at the Center for Civilians in Conflict, the founding Director at Partners Yemen, a MENA advisor at Partners Global, and a Senior Program Manager at the National Democratic Institute.

Armed Groups in Context: The Houthis – From Local Insurgency to Regional (Non-State) Powerhouse Shaping Middle East Dynamics

By Nadwa Al-Dawsari / January 14, 2025

“We will continue to escalate, undeterred by their aggression, for we are at war and in open-ended confrontation with them [America and Israel],” declared Houthi leader Abdulmalik Al-Houthi, wagging his finger in a warning gesture during a televised speech. His words came just one day after Israel launched intense airstrikes that inflicted significant damageon Yemeni seaports and energy …

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