Yemen’s Houthi rebels have emerged as an increasingly disruptive force in the Middle East, carrying out attacks against Israel, Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping routes while aligning themselves with Iran and other armed groups in the region.

The Houthis have been fighting Yemen’s internationally recognized government since 2014, when the rebels expanded from their mountainous northern strongholds and seized large parts of northern and central Yemen. Saudi Arabia entered the conflict the following year in support of the government.

A ceasefire in 2022 largely halted the fighting inside Yemen. The Houthis later shifted their focus toward Israel and shipping in the Red Sea after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel triggered the war in Gaza.

The group launched missile and drone attacks against Israel and targeted commercial vessels in the Red Sea, saying the campaign was intended to support Palestinians and impose a blockade on Israel. Many of the ships targeted, however, had no known connection to Israel or the Gaza conflict.

Between November 2023 and December 2024, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, according to the report. Two ships were sunk and four sailors were killed, while the attacks sharply reduced commercial traffic through the Red Sea, a major global trade corridor through which about $1 trillion in goods normally passes each year.

The United States and Israel responded with waves of airstrikes against Houthi targets in 2025, after which the attacks largely subsided.

The Houthis remained largely on the sidelines during the initial phase of the latest Iran war but resumed attacks against Saudi Arabia in July. The rebels said their renewed campaign was triggered by an airstrike on Sanaa’s international airport that prevented a flight from Iran from landing.

The Houthis also declared a blockade against Saudi shipping and began targeting Saudi oil tankers. The move came as global energy prices were already rising because of disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz.

The group has its own longstanding conflict with Saudi Arabia, but its attacks also increase pressure on an important U.S. ally and major oil producer, serving broader Iranian interests in the regional confrontation.

The Houthis are members of the Zaydi Shiite branch of Islam, which historically ruled Yemen for centuries until 1962. Their official slogan includes references to opposition to the United States and Israel.

The conflict between the Houthis and their opponents has caused an estimated 150,000 deaths and contributed to severe humanitarian conditions in Yemen, which was already the poorest country in the Arab world before the war.

A Saudi-led blockade has restricted access to Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa. The group has also faced criticism over its detention of United Nations employees and humanitarian workers.

The Houthis are part of what Iran describes as an “Axis of Resistance,” an alliance of armed groups opposed to Israel that includes Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and Iran-backed militias in Iraq.

Iran denies providing weapons to the Houthis, which would violate a United Nations arms embargo. However, Iranian weapons have been seized from ships bound for Yemen on multiple occasions, according to the report.

The Houthis’ international profile grew significantly after the outbreak of the Gaza war. Their attacks disrupted one of the world’s major commercial shipping routes and forced many vessels to avoid the Red Sea corridor.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, is another strategically important route for international trade. During the current regional conflict, Saudi Arabia has used pipelines across the Arabian Peninsula to transport oil toward the Red Sea and reduce its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz.

The Houthis have said their attacks on Saudi tankers are intended to pressure Riyadh to end the Saudi-led blockade. Saudi Arabia has vowed to respond to attacks but has also appeared reluctant to return to a full-scale war with the Houthis.

The renewed fighting has already caused deaths among Yemeni government forces and civilians and disrupted shipping in the Red Sea. The escalation has raised concerns that Yemen could once again become a major battlefield in the wider regional conflict.

SOURCE: Associated Press, Fatma Khaled, Ahmed Al-Haj and Joseph Krauss, updated September 25, 2026.