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Houthi movement: Quick Facts

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Last updated
Saudi Arabia turns to Syria for help as fighting with Houthis escalates • Nov. 8, 2026, 1:57 PM ET (AP)
Airstrikes kill more than 2 dozen people near Yemen's capital, Houthis say • Nov. 7, 2026, 11:42 AM ET (AP)
Airstrikes on a market in southwestern Yemen kill at least 30, Houthis say • Nov. 6, 2026, 12:24 PM ET (AP)
Iranians celebrate setback for Trump in US election, and other Mideast news • Nov. 4, 2026, 9:29 PM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As Anṣār Allāh • al-Ḥūthiyyūn
Areas Of Involvement Islam • Islamic fundamentalism

Photos

The Houthi movement in Sanaa
Map of Yemen showing international boundaries, major cities including Sanaa, Aden, and Al-Mukalla, and neighboring countries Saudi Arabia and Oman. The map also includes parts of the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and nearby countries Djibouti, Eritrea, and Ethiopia, with a locator inset highlighting Yemen's position in the Middle East.
Hussein Badr al-Din al-Houthi
Yemeni Pres. Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi meeting U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel
Thick black smoke rises from buildings near the University of Science and Technology in Sanaa, Yemen, with city structures in the foreground and mountains in the background.
Yemeni men search through rubble and debris of destroyed buildings and vehicles in Sanaa after airstrikes, with damaged structures and a crowd visible in the background.
Map of the Middle East and surrounding region highlighting Yemen, Iran, and the Gaza Strip in orange. The map centers on the Red Sea, bordered by countries including Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen, indicating the area of Houthi activity and its strategic maritime context.
World map comparing two shipping routes from Dalian, China, to Rotterdam, Netherlands: the Suez Canal route, shown in blue, passing through the Strait of Malacca, Red Sea, and Mediterranean Sea, covering about 11,000 nautical miles and taking 48 days; and the alternate route, shown in red, traveling around the Cape of Good Hope at Africa's southern tip, covering about 14,500 nautical miles and taking 57 days.
Map showing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, with surrounding countries Yemen to the northeast, Djibouti to the south, and Eritrea to the northwest. The map labels key locations including Mokha, Dhubab, Ta'izz, and Aden in Yemen; Djibouti city in Djibouti; Assab in Eritrea; and features islands such as Perim (Mayun), Greater Hanish, Lesser Hanish, and Jabal Zuqar. A small inset globe shows the strait's location at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.
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