Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Houthi movement
References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images
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.
Related Questions

Houthi movement: References & Edit History

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • Adam Zeidan
  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Expanded the discussion of the movement's name. Oct 21, 2026
Revised the discussion of the movement's background and origins and updated the discussion of renewed conflict in 2026. Oct 20, 2026
Added Top Question. Sep 20, 2026
Added map. Sep 17, 2026
Updated with the renewal of the civil war, attacks on the Red Sea, and the Houthi movement's participation in the 2026 Iran war. Sep 10, 2026
Add new Web site: Council on Foreign Relations - Iran’s Support of the Houthis: What to Know. Jun 17, 2026
Add new Web site: CBS News - Who are the Houthi rebels? What to know about the Yemeni militants attacking ships in the Red Sea. May 06, 2026
Add new Web site: Counter Extremism Project - Houthis. Mar 28, 2026
Add new Web site: Brookings - Who are the Houthis, and why are we at war with them? Feb 12, 2026
Add new Web site: United Against Nuclear Iran - The Houthis’ Evolution, Governance, and Power (PDF). Jun 15, 2025
Updated to mention the ceasefire with the United States announced on May 6, 2025. May 06, 2025
Article revised and updated. Mar 16, 2025
Add new Web site: Al Jazeera - Who are the Houthis? A simple guide to the Yemeni group. Apr 26, 2024
Media added. Jan 17, 2024
Article revised and updated. Jan 17, 2024
Added cross-reference. May 29, 2023
New article added. Feb 15, 2022
View Changes:
Article History
Revised:
By: