Yemen Under Siege

As recently as September, President Obama was pointing to Yemen as a model for the U.S.’s counter-terrorism strategy. But now, the country is being torn apart in a violent conflict led by an anti-American rebel movement known as the Houthis. With the Yemeni president ousted from the capital, and Saudi Arabia leading a coalition of regional forces against the Houthis, FRONTLINE in conjunction with BBC Arabic brings this special report from inside the war zone, exposing the violent feuds tearing the country apart, the rival anti-American and Al Qaeda-aligned forces fighting for control and the dangerous consequences for the region and the world.

Correspondent Safa Al Ahmad reports from inside Yemen, investigating the escalation of the U.S. fight against Al Qaeda and its impact on civilians. She travels to the front lines, visiting the sites of Special Forces raids and a deadly drone strike to shed light on how the U.S. counterterrorism strategy is playing out on the ground.

A gripping doc by a brave female journalist operating in a harsh testosterone riddled region. In Yemen, the Houthis have seized control but still face formidable opposition from groups linked to Al Qa'ida and Islamic State. The reporter fearlessly crosses the front-lines seeking to understand this complex proxy conflict. The doc reveals Yemen's remarkable turn around, from Saudi backed Sunni rule, to Iran supported Shia dominance.