The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, are a prominent group in Yemen that rose to prominence in September 2014 when they overran the capital, Sanaa, and captured large portions of the country. Their ultimate aim is to govern Yemen completely and support the external coalitions and movements against the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. They are linked to Iran and have recently received international attention due to the attacks on Red Sea ships, which they claim are in support of Palestinian people facing Israeli aggression.
The Houthi movement’s militants have held control over a significant portion of Yemen’s coastal territory along the Red Sea since 2014, operating against the internationally recognized government. During the Israel-Hamas conflict, many of the missile and drone attacks conducted by the Hamas-allied Houthis were either intercepted by Israel’s Arrow anti-ballistic missiles or by the Israeli Air Force, United States Navy, and French Navy, while others failed to reach their intended targets.
Several nations have responded militarily to the Houthis’ activities in the Red Sea. The United States, for instance, established Operation Prosperity Guardian to safeguard the shipping route in the Red Sea and has conducted airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen and targeted Houthi vessels in the region. Beginning on January 12th, a coalition led by the United States and the United Kingdom has launched a series of missile strikes against the Houthis, while other countries have initiated independent patrols in the waters near Yemen.
The Houthi movement attracted followers who believed in the economic development of Yemen, and their rise in power led to a conflict in the region. A 9-country coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened in March 2015 and supported the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. This intervention put Yemen into a severe humanitarian crisis. In 2021, the US designated the Houthis a terrorist organization, which was reversed by the Joe Biden administration. Despite a truce in April 2022, the Houthis still control most of Yemen’s western region.
Within Yemen, the main counterforce to the Houthis is the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), an 8-member council backed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Now, with Saudi Arabia wanting to exit the scene and the UAE thinking their interest in the region is not as much as Saudi Arabia’s, the international factors are in a complex turmoil.
As all the involved parties of PLC have differing ideologies and goals, they often rely on guidance from foreign backers. Overall, the conflict in Yemen involves various international elements with Saudi Arabia and the UAE supporting different factions within the PLC, but both aiming to confront the Houthi rebels.
Key groups within the PLC to counteract the Houthis
- Southern Transitional Council (STC): Led by Major General Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, the STC seeks greater autonomy for southern Yemen and has received support from the UAE. They are currently in control of southwest Yemen but they too have secessionist ambitions.
- Giants Brigades: Also known as Southern Giants Brigades, this pro-government armed group, backed by the UAE, includes southern Yemeni tribesmen with separatist goals for their region and they are active in the Taiz governorate.
- Saleh and the Guardians of the Republic: Led by Tariq Saleh, the nephew of late President Ali Abdullah Saleh, this faction consists of ex-special forces personnel close to Saleh. They are based on the western coast and are also supported by the UAE.
- Al-Islah: An Islamist group that dominated the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi until 2019, al-Islah is believed to be backed by Saudi Arabia. It has members in the PLC and has clashed with other groups within the coalition.
Despite these coalitions and their counterattacks, Houthis have evolved militarily, acquiring more sophisticated weaponry, including modern Iranian, Chinese, and Russian arms. The reason behind the movement’s ascendency lies in the disparity among the PLC members as these factors adversely benefitted the Houthis. Moreover, the internal divisions and conflicting ambitions among the above-mentioned groups have weakened the effectiveness of the PLC in countering the Houthis.