Gregory D. Johnsen
Non-Resident Fellow, AGSI
Gregory D. Johnsen is a non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute. He has been a Peace Corps volunteer in Jordan, a Fulbright Fellow in Yemen, and a Fulbright-Hays Fellow in Egypt. In 2013-14 he was selected as BuzzFeed’s inaugural Michael Hastings National Security Reporting Fellow where he won a Dirksen Award from the National Press Foundation and, in collaboration with Radiolab, a Peabody Award. He has a PhD from Princeton University and master’s degrees from Princeton and the University of Arizona. Johnsen is the author of The Last Refuge: Yemen, Al-Qaeda, and America’s War in Arabia (W.W. Norton), which has been translated into multiple languages. From 2016-18 he served on the Yemen Panel of Experts for the United Nations Security Council. In 2019, he served as the lead writer for the United States Institute of Peace’s Syria Study Group. His writing on Yemen and terrorism has appeared in, among others, The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Foreign Policy.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia’s Grim Options as the Houthis Storm Mokha
In tandem with President Trump’s refusal to offer help with the Houthis, the Saudis are facing grim options to reverse Houthi military successes and a chokehold over their oil exports.
Why the Houthis Entered the War
The Houthis’ decision to dip their toes into the conflict is a calculated choice based on military capacity, a blueprint, and the need for retaliatory pressure.
The Houthi Balancing Act
Houthi threats to block commercial shipping in the Red Sea that have not materialized are part of a strategy to balance competing interests.
The Houthi Conundrum and the War in Iran
The Houthis have stayed out of the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. Are they unable, unwilling, or simply biding their time?
Yemen’s Continuing Crack-Up
The STC’s failed attempt at independence likely means that Yemen won’t split along North and South lines.
The New South Yemen
The Southern Transitional Council is betting that if the South can be united under its leadership it can cordon the South off from the Houthis in the North, utilize oil and gas revenue, and create a stable and functioning state.
Events
Yemen’s Strategic Reckoning? The Houthis and the Expanding Regional War
On September 10, AGSI hosted a discussion on the latest escalation between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia.
Speakers
Apr 8, 2026
What Do Houthi Attacks on Israel Mean for the Iran War?
On April 8, AGSI hosted a discussion on the Houthis' involvement in the Iran war.
Speakers
Assessing the U.S. Military Response to the Houthis: Implications for Yemen and Red Sea Security
On May 20, AGSI hosted a discussion on the United States' policy toward the Houthis.
Speakers
Mar 12, 2024
The Houthi Challenge to Maritime Security
On March 12, AGSIW hosted a discussion on the Houthi challenge to maritime security in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Speakers
Is the End in Sight for the Yemen Conflict?
On October 26, AGSIW hosted a discussion on the prospects for the end of the conflict in Yemen.
Speakers
Can a New U.N. Envoy Produce Peace in Yemen?
On July 15, AGSIW hosted a discussion on the top issues and challenges facing the incoming United Nations special envoy for Yemen.
Speakers
