Middle East 669
Participants: 666 Israel/651 Egypt
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Israeli soldiers shot an Egyptian policeman whom they believed to be
acting suspiciously.
651 EGYPT/670 SAUDI ARABIA
MID#1108
Dispute Number: 1108
Date(s): October 1962 to December 22, 1963
Participants: 651 Egypt, 678 Yemen Arab Republic/663 Jordan, 670 Saudi Arabia
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: Missing
Narrative: Imam Ahmad ruled North Yemen until September 1962, when he died
in his sleep, making his son, Mohammad al-Badr, the next imam. The new imam
worried about a coup, so he stationed army tanks outside the palace. However, the
officer he placed in charge, Sallal, led the military in overthrowing Mohammad on
September 26, only a week after Mohammad had assumed power. The imam dressed
in a soldier’s uniform and fled to the mountains in the north, while Sallal proclaimed
the Yemen Arab Republic.
Egypt, the Soviet Union, and China immediately recognized the new republic, and on
October 1, Egypt landed troops and supplies at Hodeida. Meanwhile, the royalists estab-
lished a government-in-exile in Jeddah, and Saudi Arabia began to provision supplies
for the royalists. Saudi troops also massed along the border with Yemen and Jordan sent
a military mission to Jeddah to establish relations with the royalists. The Yemeni lega-
tions in London, Washington, Bonn, and Amman declared their support for the royalists,
while the legations in Cairo, Rabat, Rome, and Belgrade announced their support for the
republicans.
On October 9, Sallal accused the British of providing support to the royalists, which
they denied. One week later Sallal said that the Sherif of Beihan was providing the
royalists with heavy weapons and technical experts, and he called on the British to
repudiate the Sherif. North Yemeni aircraft subsequently attacked Beihan, killing a
child, and the British responded with increased air patrols and troops in Beihan. On
November 9, Sallal again accused the British of conspiring against the republican
Yemeni regime, and Saudi troops clashed for the first time along their border. The
republican forces claimed victory in those clashes, and days later the royalists claimed
to capture Sada and were pushing toward the Saudi border. On the 18th, Sallal claimed
the republicans had struck complete victory in a major battle on the border and prom-
ised to build a military academy from the funds the troops captured.
In November the Egyptians struck Saudi Arabia from the air and sea. Saudi Arabia
cut diplomatic ties with the United Arab Republic (UAR). On November 27 President