Why Everyone’s Talking About the Houthis Lately

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 Houthi Rebellion (6m6s)

• 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.

The Arab Spring (8m17s)

• 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.

War with Saudi Arabia (11m21s)

• 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.

A New Front in the War (16m7s)

• 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.

A New Status Quo (18m41s)

• 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 Today (19m51s)

• 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.