Why Everyone’s Talking About the Houthis Lately

17 May 2024 (6 months ago)

Intro - The Believing Youth (0s)

The Houthis, led by Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, began as a religious movement in Yemen but later became a militia.
They opposed President Ali Abdullah Saleh's cooperation with the US in the war on terror, which radicalized the movement.
After al-Houthi's death in 2004, the Houthis continued fighting against the Yemeni government and gained control of large parts of northern Yemen, leading to the ongoing civil war.
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The Houthis rebelled against Yemen's government from their northern strongholds.
They fought a guerrilla campaign, blending with civilians and hiding in mountains and caves.
As the conflict intensified, more tribes joined the Houthis due to perceived excessive military force.
The Houthis invaded Saudi Arabia, leading to Saudi airstrikes and troop deployment.
Iran saw an opportunity to support the Houthis against their rival, Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia claims to have intercepted an Iranian ship carrying weapons and trainers to the Houthis.
The extent of Iran's support for the Houthis remains unclear.
A branch of Al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia fled to Yemen and merged with the local branch.
They formed AQAP, one of the most dangerous and well-funded versions of Al-Qaeda.
AQAP aimed to establish a strict Islamic state and wage holy war against foreigners.
This put them at odds with both the Yemeni government and the Houthis.
The region underwent significant changes around 2011.

Arab Spring: Public anger and demands for change led to uprisings in several countries.
Iran and Saudi Arabia saw an opportunity to gain allies in the region by strategically choosing sides.
Yemen was one of the countries experiencing an uprising against the corrupt dictator, President Saleh.
The Houthis, a group fighting for years against Saleh's regime, took advantage of the infighting and gained strength.
They received support from Iran in the form of training, missiles, drones, and other advanced weapons.
In 2014, the Houthis marched into southern Yemen and captured significant territory.
Former President Saleh joined forces with the Houthis, helping them take the capital city of Sana'a.
President Hadi and his government fled to Saudi Arabia as the Houthis gained control of the capital.
The Houthis established an oppressive regime in the capital, silencing free speech, crushing dissent, and recruiting child soldiers.
They imposed strict religious laws that undermined women's rights.
Saudi Arabia became concerned as their southern neighbor was now controlled by a group funded by their main rival, Iran.

The Houthis, a rebel group in Yemen, seized the capital city Sana'a in 2014, prompting Saudi Arabia and its allies to intervene militarily to reinstate the internationally recognized government.
The Saudi-led coalition, backed by the United States, launched airstrikes and imposed a naval blockade on Yemen to cut off support from Iran, which was accused of backing the Houthis.
The war escalated, with Al-Qaeda and ISIS exploiting the chaos to expand their presence in Yemen.
The Houthis launched attacks on Saudi Arabia, leading to retaliatory airstrikes and ground operations by the Saudi-led coalition, resulting in a humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
Despite international efforts for a ceasefire, the war continued, with the Houthis escalating their offensive by directly targeting Saudi Arabia with missiles and drones.
In 2017, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates attempted to reinstate former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, but he was killed in fighting with the Houthis shortly after switching sides.
The United States, under President Trump, intensified drone strikes and raids against Al-Qaeda in Yemen, aiding government forces in reclaiming territory.
The US continues to approve arms sales to Saudi Arabia despite evidence of war crimes committed using American weapons in the Yemen conflict.
In 2018, the conflict evolved as the UAE, part of the Saudi-led coalition, began to lose confidence in the war effort.

The UAE leaves the Saudi coalition and starts backing the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in southern Yemen.
The STC separatists take control of southern provinces, fracturing the Saudi coalition.
Al-Qaeda and its militia allies are still fighting to control small slices of the country.
The US continues to conduct airstrikes against Al-Qaeda and ISIS while supporting and selling more weapons to the Saudi coalition.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE convince the government of Yemen and the separatists in the south to form a new coalition to fight against the Houthis.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have been in diplomatic talks, sponsored by China, leading to a cooling of regional tensions and their proxy war in Yemen.
President Hadi resigns and hands power over to a council to govern Yemen and manage the war.
The ceasefire set in April 2022 mostly holds, even without a new agreement.
Saudi Arabia and Iran officially restore their diplomatic relations, with Saudi Arabia hoping Iran will stop supporting the Houthis.
The Saudi maritime blockade around Yemen continues, making life difficult for millions.

The Houthis are an Iranian-backed group in Yemen.
They launched drones and cruise missiles into southern Israel in response to Israel's invasion of Gaza.
The Houthis also started firing missiles and drones at cargo ships traveling through the Red Sea, disrupting global trade.
In response, the US and UK took military action against the Houthis, further escalating the conflict.
Proxy wars are conflicts where geopolitical rivals use their neighbors as battlefields instead of fighting each other directly.
Proxy wars can escalate local conflicts to the entire country or region, leaving violence and power vacuums in their wake.
These power vacuums are often filled by bad actors who take advantage of the instability.
Proxy wars can lead to border changes, destroyed cities, and ruined lives.