On Saturday, Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced the launch of ballistic missiles targeting Israel, marking their direct involvement in the Middle East conflict that has raged for over a month. Earlier, the Israeli military reported detecting a missile launched from Yemen.

Who Are the Houthis?

Also known as Ansar Allah (Supporters of God), the Houthis are a central faction in Yemen’s ongoing civil war. The group emerged in the 1990s when its leader, Hussein al-Houthi, founded the “Believing Youth” movement to revive the Zaidi branch of Shia Islam.

The Zaidis had ruled Yemen for centuries but were marginalized after the 1962 civil war. The Houthis were established to represent the Zaidi community and resist radical Sunni ideologies, particularly the Wahhabi teachings from neighboring Saudi Arabia.

The civil war escalated in 2014 when Houthi forces seized Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, overthrowing the internationally recognized government. In 2015, a Saudi-led coalition intervened, intensifying the conflict into a broader regional war. Although a truce was signed in 2022, it lasted only six months, and clashes continue at lower intensity.

Allies and Military Strength

The Houthis receive backing from Iran, which has supplied weapons and technology since 2014, including naval mines, ballistic and cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). The group is part of Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance,” a coalition opposing Israel and Western influence in the region.

U.S. intelligence continuously monitors Houthi missile advancements, tracking improvements in both range and precision. Initially, their weapons relied on Iranian components smuggled into Yemen. In the past, the Houthis have targeted commercial vessels using drones and missiles.

The recent missile strike on Israel demonstrates that the Houthis are prepared to operate far beyond Yemen, creating an additional front in an already volatile geopolitical environment.

This escalation increases the risk of a wider regional conflict, given the Houthis’ capability to strike targets beyond Yemen, including oil facilities and critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as to disrupt shipping routes in the Arabian Peninsula’s Gulf region.