Squiz Today Squiz Shortcuts: Who are the Houthis?
Mar 31, 2026
Will Radford, Head of colouring, sales and marketing at Honeysticks, talks about the Houthis and their rise from Yemen’s local movement. The conversation covers their origins, regional alliances and Iran ties. It also looks at recent missile strikes, Red Sea shipping risks and how their involvement could widen the conflict.
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Yemen Controls A Critical Red Sea Chokepoint
- Yemen sits at the southern border of Saudi Arabia and borders the Red Sea, making it strategically placed near key shipping lanes.
- The Bab el-Mandab Strait links the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean and is a vital route to the Suez Canal for Europe-bound shipping.
Houthis Are A Zaydi Shia Movement Led By Abdul Malik
- Ansar Allah, known as the Houthis, began under Hussein al-Houthi and are now led by Abdul Malik al-Houthi as a movement defending Yemen's Zaydi Shia community.
- They formed in response to perceived Saudi influence and are concentrated in northern Yemen.
Civil War Escalated After Alliance And Betrayal
- The Houthis allied with then-president Ali Abdullah Saleh to seize Sana'a during post-Arab Spring turmoil, forcing President Hadi to flee.
- That alliance later collapsed, Saleh broke with them and was killed in 2017, entrenching the conflict.