Houthi rebels in Yemen
Houthi rebels in Yemen Photo: AP
US President Donald Trump launched the military operation in the Middle East against the Yemeni militant group the Houthis. The Houthis, who have been backed by Iran as part of its "axis of resistance,' warned of launching attacks in the Red Sea if Israel did not end its blockade of aid for Gaza.
The Yemeni group pledged support for Gaza and militant group Hamas after the war broke out on October 7, 2023. After this, several Houthi pirates attacked and hijacked cargo vessels in the Red Sea, especially those countries which vowed support to Israel.
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Who Are The Houthis?
The Houthis, also known as the Houthi movement, is a Zaydi Shia Islamist political and military organisation. Formed in the 1990s and led by Hussein al-Houthi, the group is primarily backed by Iran and is part of the country's "axis of resistance."
The group rose to prominence in 2014 after it seized the capital city of Sanaa and forced President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi to flee the country.
Since then, the militant group has also played a key role in the Yemeni civil war, which broke out the same year. The Houthis accused by Hadi government of corruption and being backed by the US and Saudi Arabia.
Houthis And The Axis Of Resistance
The Axis of Resistance is an informal coalition of the Iranian-backed militant organisations in the Middle East. This "axis" was reportedly formed to combat the influence of the United States and Israel in the region.
The group contains Hezbollah from Lebanon, Hamas from the Gaza Strip, the Houthis from Yemen, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and several militias in Iraq and Syria.
However, from 2024 onwards, Iran's axis has suffered various setbacks, especially due to Israel's war on Gaza.
Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and parts of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq have been weakened or and are on the verge of defeat. Furthermore, the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria also proved to be a huge setback for Iran and its axis.
Apart from Iran, Syria was the only nation hosting fighters trained and recruited by Iran. Together with Tehran, the Ba'athist regime also conducted attacks on US forces in Iraq.
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Houthis Role In The Gaza War And Why US Attacked
Following the Hamas attack in Israel and the war that ensued after it, Houthis expressed its support for Palestinians and joined forces with Hamas.
In the Gaza war, the Yemeni group have threatened to attack ships in the Red Sea area and have already carried out various attacks in the route.
These attacks, which they claim are against countries supporting Israel, have occurred in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
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These attacks from the Houthis have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to reroute to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa.
Despite the militia saying only ships from the US, Israel, and the UK are threatened, almost all countries have expressed concern about the risk of travelling through the Red Sea route.
Following their attacks on ships, the US and UK have retaliated with strikes against the group.
The latest strike came on Sunday after US President Donald Trump ordered the attack on Yemen. As per reports, over 20 people, including civilians, have been killed in the capital city of Saana.