Nestled in the southwestern part of Yemen, Lahij (also spelled Lahej) is a region with a history as rich as it is tumultuous. For centuries, it served as a vital hub for trade, culture, and political power in the southern Arabian Peninsula. The area’s strategic location near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—a critical chokepoint for global maritime trade—has made it a coveted prize for empires and local rulers alike.
Lahij’s history dates back to the ancient kingdoms of Saba and Himyar, which flourished due to the lucrative incense and spice trade. The region’s fertile lands and access to the Red Sea made it a key stop for caravans traveling between Africa, Arabia, and the Levant. By the medieval period, Lahij had become a center of Islamic scholarship and commerce, with its rulers often playing a delicate balancing act between regional powers.
In the 18th century, Lahij emerged as the seat of the Abdali Sultanate, a semi-independent polity that maintained a fragile autonomy amid the shifting sands of Ottoman and British influence. The sultans of Lahij were known for their shrewd diplomacy, often aligning with the British in Aden to counter Ottoman expansion. This relationship, however, was fraught with tension, as the British sought to tighten their grip over southern Yemen.
By the 19th century, the British Empire had established a foothold in Aden, just 30 miles from Lahij. The sultans of Lahij initially cooperated with the British, but resentment grew as colonial policies undermined local authority. In 1918, Sultan Ali bin Ahmed al-Abdali openly rebelled against British rule, leading to a brief but fierce conflict. Though the rebellion was crushed, it sowed the seeds of nationalist sentiment that would later fuel Yemen’s anti-colonial struggles.
The mid-20th century brought seismic changes to Lahij. In 1967, the British withdrew from Aden, and the People’s Republic of South Yemen was born—a Marxist state aligned with the Soviet Union. The sultanate of Lahij was abolished, and the region became a battleground in the Cold War. The new government nationalized land and industries, upending centuries-old social structures.
The unification of North and South Yemen in 1990 was supposed to bring peace, but it instead ignited a series of conflicts. Lahij, with its strategic importance, became a flashpoint. During the 1994 civil war, southern separatists clashed with northern forces, and Lahij witnessed heavy fighting. The scars of that war never fully healed, and resentment toward northern domination simmered for decades.
In 2015, Yemen plunged into another devastating war as Houthi rebels seized the capital, Sanaa. Lahij, like much of the south, became a battleground between Houthi forces, the Saudi-led coalition, and southern separatists. The Saudi-backed government established a temporary capital in Aden, just a stone’s throw from Lahij, turning the region into a frontline of the proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
The war has turned Lahij into a microcosm of Yemen’s broader suffering. Airstrikes, blockades, and economic collapse have left thousands dead and millions on the brink of famine. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, once a source of Lahij’s prosperity, is now a contested zone where naval blockades disrupt global trade. The UN has called Yemen the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, and Lahij’s people bear the brunt of it.
Despite the devastation, Lahij’s cultural heritage endures. The region is known for its distinctive architecture, vibrant music, and rich coffee traditions—Yemen, after all, is the birthplace of coffee. Local activists and historians work tirelessly to preserve Lahij’s legacy, even as war rages around them.
The question now is whether Lahij can reclaim its historic role as a crossroads of commerce and culture—or if it will remain trapped in the cycle of conflict. With peace talks stalled and global powers jockeying for influence, the fate of Lahij hangs in the balance. One thing is certain: its people, who have survived empires, colonialism, and war, are not giving up without a fight.