The Coalition in the Line of Popular Fire: The Rial Collapses and the Streets Threaten to Erupt
NYN | Reports and analyses
The provinces under the control of the internationally recognized government, backed by the Saudi-Emirati coalition, are simmering with unrest amid an unprecedented economic collapse that has sparked a wave of popular anger. Growing calls are being heard for an uprising against what many are describing as foreign guardianship and reckless governance.
The southern street, already worn down by poverty and a lack of basic services, can no longer afford to stay silent. With each passing day, citizens’ purchasing power continues to erode, while food prices and fuel costs soar dramatically. Meanwhile, the government appears powerless — or complicit, according to local activists.
The Rial Collapses… Prices Spiral Out of Control
The Yemeni rial has hit historic lows in areas controlled by the internationally recognized government, plummeting past 2,750 rials per U.S. dollar, while the Saudi riyal now trades at 725 rials.
These catastrophic exchange rates have directly impacted the prices of goods:
A sack of flour now costs 60,000 rials,
Sugar has reached 130,000 rials,
A 20-liter container of diesel is priced at 40,000 rials,
Petrol stands at 38,000 rials.
This economic freefall affects every household. Salaries are not being paid regularly, and there’s no horizon for meaningful solutions. The pressure on ordinary citizens mounts with each price hike in a market operating without regulation or rescue plans.
Citizens Held Hostage in Their Homes: Rent Demanded in Saudi Riyals
Even housing has become a luxury the poor can no longer afford. It has become common for landlords to demand rent payments in Saudi riyals, effectively doubling the burden on tenants, many of whom have no income or are paid in a currency that is rapidly losing its value.
Rents for some apartments have reached 700 Saudi riyals per month — nearly half a million Yemeni rials — with undisclosed monthly increases tied to the collapsing exchange rate.
A Suffocating Living Crisis… and an Imminent Explosion
In Taiz, Aden, Hadhramaut, Abyan, and Lahj, people are no longer demanding improved services — they’re simply trying to survive.
Electricity is out, water is scarce, streets are overflowing with garbage, and schools and hospitals operate in near-total dysfunction.
All of this is happening while local reports speak of widespread government corruption and a complete lack of crisis-management plans.
The Coalition Under Fire
As the situation deteriorates further, the spotlight has once again turned to the Saudi-Emirati coalition. It entered Yemen years ago under the banner of “saving the country,” but activists and observers argue the outcomes have been the opposite.
They accuse the coalition of turning the south into an unstable zone of influence — exploiting its resources while letting public services crumble, all while coalition-aligned leaders enjoy privileges and generous backing.
A Uprising in the Making
Calls for protests and rebellion are intensifying by the day. Social media is flooded with messages of anger and mobilization, and small-scale demonstrations are expanding in some areas despite suppression.
Observers believe that if the economic collapse continues unchecked, it could trigger a major popular explosion — one that could upend the political landscape and challenge the very legitimacy of the coalition-backed government.
In a war-torn country, hunger is no longer silent, and suffering can no longer be masked by diplomatic statements. The south — burdened with pain and rage — appears closer than ever to the moment of eruption.
