Google Maps Location Approx
Border Countries
🇾🇪 Yemen 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
Nearest Cities
Haradh border area, Najran region
Coordinates
17.80°N, 44.70°E
Border Type
Land crossing via road
Operating Hours
Open 24 hours
Wait Times
30-90 min for pedestrians/vehicles
Peak Times
Mornings (7-10 AM), weekends
Crossing Types
Pedestrians, vehicles, commercial
Daily Crossings
~3000 travelers/vehicles
Languages Spoken
Arabic, English
Currency Exchange
Available near Haradh (YER, SAR)
Connectivity Options
Limited Wi-Fi, 3G
Accessibility Features
Ramps, assistance
Safety Information
Restricted, security risks
Emergency Contacts
🇾🇪 191 🇸🇦 911
Google Maps Location Approx
Country Information
About Haradh border area, Najran region
Extreme Danger Warning: Active War Zone
The Haradh border area is not a functioning border crossing. It is an active and exceptionally dangerous frontline in the Yemeni civil war. It has been the site of some ofthe most intense fighting of the conflict. The area is heavily mined, subject to constant shelling, airstrikes, and ground combat. There is no civilian access. This guide is for historical and geopolitical context only. Any attempt to approach this area is suicidal and strictly forbidden.
The Haradh Crossing: A Ghost of a Border
The Haradh border crossing, which once connected Yemen’s Hajjah Governorate with Saudi Arabia’s Jizan Province, no longer exists as a functional gateway. Before the war, it was a major crossing point, second only to Al-Tawal on the western coast, a bustling hub of commerce and human movement. Today, it is a ghost town, a destroyed and heavily contested piece of territory on a brutal frontline. The physical infrastructure of the crossing has been largely obliterated by years of fighting. It is a stark symbol of the war’s destructive power, a place where a thriving point of connection has been erased and replaced by trenches, minefields, and military fortifications.
From Bustling Hub to Battlefield
In the years before 2015, Haradh was a key economic center. The crossing facilitated a massive flow of goods and people. The town of Haradh thrived on the cross-border trade, and it was a critical transit point for Yemeni workers heading to Saudi Arabia. The Houthi advance and the Saudi-led intervention in the war turned Haradh into a primary military objective. Its strategic location on the coastal plain made it a gateway for any potential ground invasion of Houthi-controlled territory. Consequently, it became the focus of repeated, bloody offensives by Saudi-backed Yemeni forces trying to capture it from entrenched Houthi fighters. The town and the border crossing complex have been fought over, captured, and recaptured, leaving them in ruins and heavily contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Border Procedures: Non-Existent
There are no border procedures at Haradh because there is no functioning border crossing. The area is a closed military zone. The former crossing point is now part of a network of defensive and offensive military positions. On the Saudi side, the border is sealed by a sophisticated system of fences, walls, and surveillance towers, backed by a heavy military presence. On the Yemeni side, the area is controlled by Houthi forces and is an active battlefield. There is no civilian authority or infrastructure capable of processing people or goods. Any movement in the area is purely military in nature and is part of ongoing combat operations.
The Surrounding Region: A Devastated Landscape
The entire Haradh district in Yemen’s Hajjah Governorate has been devastated by the war. It has suffered from intense airstrikes, ground fighting, and a near-total collapse of public services, leading to a humanitarian catastrophe for the remaining civilian population. The landscape is scarred by the conflict. On the Saudi side, the border areas in Jizan Province are under a constant state of high alert. While Saudi towns are protected by advanced air defense systems, they have been targeted by cross-border attacks. The region is not safe for civilian life to proceed normally. The once-fertile agricultural lands near the border have, in many cases, become dangerous no-go zones. The conflict has not only destroyed the border crossing but has also poisoned the entire surrounding region, making it uninhabitable and perilous.
Final Contextual Note: A Scar on the Map
The story of the Haradh border crossing is a tragic one. It is a powerful example of how a vital piece of civilian infrastructure can be completely consumed and erased by conflict. It no longer represents a point of passage but a point of violent contention. It is a scar on the map, a testament to the destructive capacity of the Yemeni war and the deep-seated animosity between the warring parties. It serves as a grim warning about the consequences of armed conflict, where places of meeting and exchange are turned into fields of death and destruction. The very idea of “crossing” at Haradh is now a historical memory, replaced by the harsh reality of a fortified and deadly frontline.