The ruler of Yemen, Imam Yahya, decided he would try to assert his authority over Najran, the coastal strip of Tihama and the southern region of Asir.
Although Ibn Saud had conquered the Hijaz and Asir, in practice a large proportion of these territories enjoyed a high degree of autonomy, with the tribes either acknowledging the authority of local sheikhs or no authority at all. From Ibn Saud's point of view, the contested land was part of his Kingdom and the Imam's pretensions were an unacceptable and ill-advised affront.
Imam Yahya was leader of the Muslim Zeidi sect and was regarded by his Yemeni followers as the representative of Allah on earth. Such a view constituted heresy for those who would tolerate no intermediary between man and God. There was therefore a religious as well as a political dimension to the tensions between Ibn Saud and the Imam.
