Houthi movement

The Houthi movement, officially known as Ansar Allah, is a Zaydi revivalist and Shia Islamist political and military movement that emerged in northern Yemen in the 1990s.

The Houthi movement, officially known as Ansar Allah, is a Zaydi revivalist and Shia Islamist political and military movement that emerged in northern Yemen in the 1990s. It became a major force in Yemen’s civil war after taking control of the capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and has since governed large parts of northern Yemen. The movement is named after the al-Houthi family, especially its founder Hussein al-Houthi.

Origins

The Houthi movement began in northern Yemen in the 1990s as a Zaydi revivalist current and later took the name Ansar Allah. Its early development was tied to opposition to corruption, marginalization of the Zaydi community, and growing external influence in Yemen.

Role in the Yemeni civil war

The movement became a major military and political force after seizing Sanaa in 2014. Since then, it has controlled significant parts of northern Yemen and remained one of the main parties to the conflict.

Leadership and ideology

The movement is associated with the al-Houthi family and is led by Abdul-Malik al-Houthi. It is rooted in Zaydi Islam, but is also commonly described as a Shia Islamist and Islamic fundamentalist movement.

Regional and international involvement

The Houthis have been linked by multiple sources to Iranian support and have been accused of attacking civilian and commercial targets in Yemen and the wider region. Their actions in the Red Sea have brought them into direct conflict with the United States and other foreign powers.