The Houthis, a tribal movement originating in Yemen’s northern Saada region near the Saudi border, have been in conflict with Yemen’s central government for decades. The movement was founded in the 1990s under Hussein al-Houthi and grew amid complaints over political and economic marginalisation in northern Yemen.
After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, the movement adopted slogans opposing the United States and Israel. Yemen’s government viewed the movement as a growing threat. Hussein al-Houthi was killed by government forces in 2004, but the conflict continued, with the government fighting the Houthis in six rounds of war over the following years.
The situation changed dramatically after Yemen’s 2011 uprising, when longtime President Ali Abdullah Saleh left power. The country became increasingly unstable, with a divided military and a weak central government.
The Houthis took advantage of the power vacuum and entered the capital, Sanaa, in September 2014.
In an unusual political development, Saleh, who had previously fought six wars against the Houthis, later allied with them in an effort to regain political influence. Loyalists within his former military forces helped the Houthis expand their control.
Saudi Arabia viewed the rise of the Houthis as a major security threat because the group was close to Iran, Saudi Arabia’s regional rival, and had established control near the kingdom’s southern border.
In March 2015, Saudi Arabia and its allies launched a military intervention in Yemen, initially expecting the campaign to last only a few weeks. Instead, the conflict continued for years.
The war devastated Yemen. Airstrikes killed civilians, while restrictions on ports and airports disrupted the flow of food, medicine and other essential supplies into a country heavily dependent on imports.
The Houthis also expanded their attacks beyond Yemen, using drones and missiles against Saudi territory. In 2019, an attack on major Saudi oil facilities temporarily disrupted global oil supplies.
The conflict reached a temporary turning point in 2022 when a ceasefire was agreed. Saudi Arabia and Iran also restored diplomatic relations with Chinese mediation, while Houthi representatives travelled to Riyadh for talks.
However, tensions rose again after the Gaza war began in 2023.
The Houthis declared their support for Palestinians and began attacking vessels in the Red Sea that they said were linked to Israel. The attacks turned the group from a mainly Yemen-focused movement into a major factor in international shipping and regional security.
According to the account provided, the conflict became even more complicated in 2026 following a US-Israeli attack on Iran and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz. With the Red Sea seen as an alternative route for Gulf oil exports, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait became even more strategically important.
The Houthis control territory near this strategic waterway and have threatened Saudi-linked shipping.
The Houthis say their actions are connected to the blockade and restrictions imposed on Yemen and demand access to salaries, ports and airports.
Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s internationally recognised government, meanwhile, accuse the Houthis of advancing Iran’s regional agenda and pushing Yemen further into conflict.
The situation also has implications for Pakistan because of its close ties with Saudi Arabia and recent defence cooperation between the two countries.
Any major disruption around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could also affect global oil supplies and shipping costs, potentially increasing energy prices in countries far beyond the Middle East.
The biggest impact, however, continues to fall on ordinary Yemenis caught between the rival sides. More than 100,000 people have reportedly been displaced or forced to live in camps as the conflict continues.
