As part of our ongoing coverage and analysis of key regional developments, we examine the origins of Ansar Allah, commonly known as the Houthis, and trace their transformation from a local movement in Yemen’s Saada Governorate into a prominent regional actor.
The report looks back at the history of modern Yemen, which was established in its current form in 1990 following the unification of North and South Yemen. The unification had significant consequences, including a growing sense of marginalization among many people in the south and calls for independence. In Saada, meanwhile, concerns grew over the Zaydi identity of the local population amid the expansion of Salafi currents, alongside opposition to government policies that were viewed by the Houthis as aligned with Washington.
These factors contributed to the emergence of the Believing Youth movement in 2004, associated with its leader Hussein al-Houthi, who was killed in clashes with government forces. The Houthis’ interests later converged with those of Iran, which provided military and technical support, while Tehran sought to strengthen its influence near the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This eventually culminated in the Houthis taking control of the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, in 2014.
The report also examines the intervention of the Saudi-led coalition in 2015 against the Houthi expansion, as well as the differences between the Saudi and Emirati agendas. The UAE supported southern separatist aspirations while seeking a strategic foothold on Socotra Island.
Ultimately, the report highlights the devastating human cost of these competing conflicts and regional interests, with the Yemeni population bearing the consequences of one of the world’s most severe humanitarian and food crisis
