Military strikes and ongoing attacks by the Houthis continue to threaten stability in the Middle East. The Iran-backed Yemeni militia has carried out repeated assaults on commercial ships in the Red Sea, causing vessel traffic to plummet sharply as companies suspended their operations or shifted their routes to the Cape of Good Hope.
The January 11, 2024, US-UK military strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen—launched in response to these attacks—have further raised tensions across the region. In July, the Houthis attacked the Greek-owned ship Magic Seas and carried out another deadly assault that killed at least four crew members. The group continues its campaign amid the broader Israel-Iran conflict.
But who exactly are the Houthis? Click through and find out more about the emergence of the Houthi movement.