The Houthis (Ansar Allah) have emerged from the rugged highlands of northern Yemen to become one of the most disruptive forces in global politics. Once dismissed as a small insurgency of Zaydi Shia revivalists, they now stand at the heart of regional power struggles, challenging Saudi Arabia, drawing in Iran, provoking U.S. and U.K. military retaliation, and disrupting global shipping lanes.
On 30 August 2025, the conflict reached a new peak when Israel launched a rare strike on Sanaa, killing the Houthi prime minister and several senior leaders—one of the most significant blows to the group in years. Yet, despite these attacks, the Houthis endure, their influence stretching far beyond Yemen’s borders.
Seeds of Rebellion
The Houthis trace their roots to the Saada governorate in northern Yemen during the 1990s. Founded by the charismatic cleric Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, the movement began as an effort to revive the Zaydi Shia tradition—an Islamic branch that once ruled large parts of Yemen before being sidelined by centuries of Sunni dominance.
Saudi-backed Salafi schools expanding into northern Yemen were viewed as both a religious and political threat. In response, Hussein mobilized followers with fiery rhetoric against U.S. policies, Israel’s occupation, and Saudi interference. His message resonated deeply with marginalized tribes who felt ignored by the central government in Sanaa.
Six Wars in Saada
By 2004, clashes with President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s forces erupted into open rebellion. Government troops killed Hussein al-Houthi that year, but instead of crushing the movement, his death transformed him into a martyr.
Between 2004 and 2010, the Houthis fought six brutal wars against the Yemeni state. Each round left northern Yemen scarred, but also forged a hardened and disciplined fighting force. They mastered guerrilla tactics, expanded tribal alliances, and built a reputation as Yemen’s most resilient insurgents. By the time the Arab Spring arrived in 2011, the Houthis were no longer just rebels—they were a political and military power.
The Arab Spring and the March on Sanaa
The 2011 uprising toppled Saleh and left Yemen in transition under Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. For the Houthis, this chaos opened doors. They expanded beyond Saada, capturing key northern provinces and, with the help of Saleh loyalists, marched on Sanaa in September 2014.
The seizure of the capital stunned observers. The Houthis had gone from mountain insurgents to rulers of Yemen’s political heart, cementing their place as the most powerful actor in the country.
Saudi Arabia Strikes Back
In March 2015, Saudi Arabia and a coalition of Gulf and Western allies launched a military intervention to restore Hadi’s government. Riyadh expected a quick victory; instead, the Houthis proved immovable.
Backed by Iran’s weapons, training, and political cover, the Houthis fought the coalition to a standstill. The conflict became one of the Middle East’s most devastating wars, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives and sparking what the United Nations called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
The Houthis’ alliance with Saleh collapsed in 2017 when he turned against them. Within days, they killed their former partner—removing one of Yemen’s most enduring power brokers and consolidating their control over Sanaa.
Expanding the Battlefield
Unable to oust the Houthis from Yemen, Saudi Arabia faced a new problem: the conflict was spreading beyond its borders. The Houthis unveiled long-range missiles and Iranian-style drones, striking airports, oil facilities, and cities deep inside Saudi Arabia. In 2019, they claimed responsibility for the attack on Saudi Aramco facilities in Abqaiq, briefly knocking out half of the kingdom’s oil output.
The United Arab Emirates also came under fire, showing the Houthis’ ability to challenge the Gulf’s wealthiest states.
A New Front: The Red Sea
In late 2023, war in Gaza reignited the Houthis’ role within Iran’s “Axis of Resistance.” They began attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea, framing the strikes as solidarity with Palestinians.
These attacks quickly escalated into a global trade crisis. Major shipping firms rerouted vessels around Africa, adding weeks to journeys and spiking costs worldwide. The U.S. and U.K. retaliated with airstrikes on Houthi positions in 2024, but the group weathered the blows, using the attacks to reinforce their image as defenders of Arab and Muslim causes.
2025: Power and Peril
Today, the Houthis govern northern Yemen, home to tens of millions. They maintain ministries, tax systems, and a growing arms industry. But they are also rebels with global reach, capable of striking ships, oil pipelines, and foreign capitals.
The Israeli strike in August 2025 marked a dangerous new phase. For the first time, Tel Aviv directly targeted Houthi leadership, signaling that their regional disruption—from the Red Sea to Hezbollah ties—has drawn Israel into the conflict.
Internally, the Houthis face massive challenges. Yemen’s economy is collapsing, famine continues to haunt communities, and growing discontent simmers among populations weary of endless war. Their legitimacy inside Yemen may erode even as their profile abroad rises.
The Road Ahead
Analysts outline three potential futures for the Houthis:
- Consolidation of Power – The Houthis solidify northern Yemen as their permanent base, negotiating with Saudi Arabia and the U.N. for legitimacy.
- Regional Expansion – They deepen ties with Iran, positioning themselves as a permanent power within the Axis of Resistance, reshaping politics in the Red Sea and Gulf.
- Escalation and Retaliation – Their cross-border strikes provoke even larger U.S., Israeli, or Saudi offensives, raising the risk of a wider Middle Eastern war.
A Global Disruptor Born of Local Struggles
From chanting anti-Saudi slogans in Saada’s mountains to threatening global shipping routes, the Houthis have rewritten the script of insurgent politics. They embody how local grievances, when tied to regional rivalries, can create movements that outlast wars, topple governments, and redraw geopolitical maps.
The world can no longer ask whether the Houthis matter. The real question in 2025 is: how will the international community contain—or accommodate—them?
