Who are the Houthis?: The Houthis, formally Ansar Allah, are a Zaydi Shia armed movement from northern Yemen. They seized the capital Sanaa in September 2014 and now control territory home to over 70% of Yemen's population. Iran backs them with weapons and training via the IRGC.Source: Lowdown
Why are the Houthis attacking Red Sea shipping?: The Houthis launched over 100 attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea from late 2023 to 2025, citing solidarity with Gaza. The attacks halved traffic through Bab al-Mandeb and triggered a major international naval escort operation.Source: Lowdown
Are the Houthis attacking Israel in 2026?: Yes. In late March 2026 the Houthis fired missiles and drones at Israel on three consecutive days. Their deputy information minister also threatened to close Bab al-Mandeb strait as a further escalation step.Source: Lowdown
Can the Houthis close the Bab al-Mandeb strait?: The Houthis control the Yemeni coastline adjacent to Bab al-Mandeb and threatened closure as a staged escalation option. Israeli strikes in 2025 degraded their command-and-control, but launch platforms remain intact, making partial disruption plausible.Source: Lowdown
What is the difference between the Houthis and Hezbollah?: Both are Iran-backed movements within the Axis of Resistance. Hezbollah operates in Lebanon and holds seats in Parliament; the Houthis govern much of Yemen and control strategic Red Sea coastline. Hezbollah has a more sophisticated command structure; the Houthis have greater territorial depth and maritime access.Source: Lowdown

Background

The Houthis, formally Ansar Allah, are a Zaydi Shia armed movement that seized the Yemeni capital Sanaa in September 2014 and now govern territory covering more than 70% of Yemen's population. They survived a decade of Saudi Arabia-led aerial bombardment and built an arsenal of Ballistic Missiles, anti-ship weapons, and drone systems substantially upgraded with Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) assistance since 2020.

From late 2023 to 2025 the Houthis launched over 100 attacks on commercial shipping through the Red Sea, halving traffic at Bab al-Mandeb and triggering the largest naval escort operation since the Cold War. In March 2026 they opened a new front: firing missiles and drones at Israel on three consecutive days, with deputy information minister Mohammed Mansour explicitly threatening closure of Bab al-Mandeb as a staged escalation option. related event

Analysis in early March 2026 noted that Israeli strikes in August-September 2025 destroyed the Houthis' command-and-control layer, raising doubts about their capacity to mount sustained complex operations despite intact launch platforms. Were they to close Bab al-Mandeb alongside a Hormuz blockade, roughly 12% of global trade would face simultaneous disruption at both chokepoints.

How the World Sees Them

Iran

Iran treats the Houthis as the southern pillar of its Axis of Resistance, supplying missiles and drone technology through the IRGC Quds Force. Houthi strikes on Israel in March 2026 aligned with Iran's wider campaign, though degraded command capacity limits operational effectiveness.

Israel

Israel struck Houthi military command structures in August-September 2025, degrading their coordination capacity before the 2026 conflict. The Houthis fired on Israel three consecutive days in late March 2026, forcing Israeli air defences to operate on two fronts simultaneously.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia led a nine-year air campaign against the Houthis after they seized Sanaa in 2014, suffering costly attritional losses. The 2023 Saudi-Iran normalisation agreement froze active Saudi strikes but has not resolved the underlying conflict over Yemeni territory.

United States

The United States ran Operation Prosperity Guardian from January 2024 to protect Red Sea shipping, striking Houthi launch sites repeatedly. In 2026 US carrier groups are positioned in the region but prioritise Hormuz, leaving Bab al-Mandeb as a secondary exposure.