Nadene Goldfoot
The Houthis, a Zaydi Shia movement from northern Yemen, have been involved in conflicts with the Yemeni government since the early 2000s, especially with former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh. However, their influence expanded dramatically during the 2014–2015 takeover, when they seized Sana’a and forced President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi to flee.
Yemeni Civil War (2015): The conflict escalated significantly when the Houthis seized Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and drove out the internationally recognized government. Saudi Arabia formed a military coalition in 2015 to defeat the rebels and restore the recognized government. This led to a military intervention by Saudi Arabia and its allies in 2015, sparking a prolonged and devastating war.
Saudi Arabia has had a real war going on with the Houthis of Yemen. A full-scale war in Yemen took place several years ago of which the Saudis gained a truce in 2022. The Houthis kept on attacking in the Red Sea and against Israel anyway, during the truce..
The current confrontation marks a turning point after several years in which Saudi Arabia sought to avoid a return to full-scale war in Yemen. The truce was between the sides, which took effect in 2022, and was largely held even during Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and against Israel, but has eroded rapidly in recent months.
Riyadh, Arabia is now confronting attacks on its territory, threats to its energy infrastructure and Houthi advances inside Yemen all at once.
The story is: On 29 March 2022, the Saudi-led coalition of Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates provided air and ground forces, while Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and U.S. private military contractor Constellis headed several ground operations. Djibouti, Eritrea, and Somalia opened their airspace, territorial waters, and military bases to coalition forces. At varying stages, the intervention was backed by the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Canada. The U.S. provided intelligence and logistical support, such as aerial refueling and search-and-rescue for downed coalition pilots, accelerated the sale of weapons to coalition states,and continued strikes against AQAP. American and British servicemen have provided advice and training related to Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen.
The; Coalition announced that it would cease all hostilities within Yemen to facilitate political talks and peacekeeping efforts; Houthi and Saudi officials subsequently began bilateral peace talks mediated by Oman under UN auspices, and most restrictions on commercial goods were lifted by April 2023.
Often seen by the West and some Gulf states as an Iranian proxy and a “ragtag” militia, the Houthis have spent years advancing their military and combat tactics. The group gained popularity among parts of the Middle East after striking Israel following the Gaza war, which was a result of the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
The Houthis’ demands remain the same: They want an end to Saudi attempts to isolate the large swathes of northern Yemen controlled by the group through an air and economic blockade. While they are allied with Iran, they also have their own agenda.
