Legal Consequences of the Western Coalition’s Use of Force Against the Houthis in Yemen

Abstract

The military intervention of the Western coalition against the Houthis in Yemen represents one of the most legally complex and politically consequential uses of force in contemporary international relations. This article examines the intervention through the normative framework of international law governing the use of force, with particular attention to the prohibition enshrined in the United Nations Charter, the narrow scope of its recognized exceptions, and the evolving challenges posed by non-state armed actors. By integrating doctrinal legal analysis with the factual context of coalition operations, the study evaluates whether the justifications advanced—primarily self-defense and protection of international security—meet the strict legal requirements of necessity, immediacy, and proportionality, and whether the absence of explicit Security Council authorization undermines the legality and legitimacy of the intervention. Beyond legality, the article assesses the broader systemic effects of the Yemen intervention on global peace and international order. It argues that the humanitarian consequences, including large-scale civilian suffering, displacement, and infrastructural collapse, are inseparable from the legal evaluation of the use of force and reveal the limitations of militarized approaches to conflict management. At the international level, the intervention has contributed to the erosion of the collective security system, encouraged unilateralism, and accelerated the normalization of force as a policy instrument, thereby increasing volatility in global security relations. The analysis further demonstrates that these trends risk fragmenting international law by weakening shared norms and compliance incentives. The article concludes that the Yemen case constitutes a critical test for the future of the international legal order. It underscores the necessity of reaffirming the centrality of legal constraints on the use of force, strengthening accountability mechanisms, and reinvigorating multilateral approaches to conflict resolution in order to preserve the credibility of international law and promote sustainable global peace.