Houthi-controlled Yemen
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Since January 2010 during the Houthi insurgency,[1][2][3] the Houthis, a Zaydi Shia revivalist political and military organization, have maintained de facto governance over significant portions of northern and western Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa since 2014. Their administration, the Supreme Political Council, operates in opposition to the internationally recognized government of Yemen.[4][5][6] The Houthis aim to govern all of Yemen and support external movements against the United States, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.[7] Because of the Houthis' ideological background, the conflict in Yemen is widely seen as a front of the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy war.[8]
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In September 2014, after the Battle of Sanaa and during the Houthi takeover of Yemen of the Yemeni civil war, Houthi insurgents ousted president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi from the capital, Sanaa. A Saudi Arabian-led military intervention in 2015 aimed at restoring Hadi's government, but several proto-state entities claim to govern Yemen.[9][10][11][12][13] At least 56,000 civilians and combatants have been killed in armed violence amid the Yemeni civil war since January 2016.[14] The war has resulted in a famine affecting 17 million people.[15] The lack of safe drinking water, caused by depleted aquifers and the destruction of the country's water infrastructure, has also caused the largest, fastest-spreading cholera outbreak in modern history, with the number of suspected cases exceeding 994,000.[16][17] Over 2,200 people have died since the outbreak began to spread rapidly at the end of April 2017.[17][18] The ongoing humanitarian crisis and conflict has received widespread criticism for having a dramatic worsening effect on Yemen's humanitarian situation.
The areas where the Houthis-control in Yemen as of 2026, used to be areas of the former Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen).
Background
The Houthis, a Zaydi Shia movement from northern Yemen, have been involved in conflicts with the Yemeni government since the early 2000s, especially with former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh. However, their influence expanded dramatically during the 2014–2015 takeover, when they seized Sana’a and forced President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi to flee. This led to a military intervention by Saudi Arabia and its allies in 2015, sparking a prolonged and devastating war.[19][20][21]
History
After seizing the capital in September 2014, the Houthis obtained the resignations of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, Prime Minister Khaled Bahah, and the cabinet in January 2015 and then moved to dissolve parliament and instated the Supreme Revolutionary Committee to govern their territory of Yemen on 6 February 2015.[22][23] However, despite their military successes and an alleged alliance with the former ruling General People's Congress,[24][25] the Houthis faced widespread domestic and international opposition to the coup and they assented to United Nations–led talks on a power-sharing deal.[26][27] At least one analyst went so far as to suggest the Houthis' declaration "fizzled" in the days after it was announced, although they have Ali Abdullah Saleh's political support.[28]
On 21 February 2015, one month after Houthi militants confined him to his residence in Sanaa, Hadi slipped out of the capital and traveled to Aden, the capital of the former People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. In a televised address from his hometown, he declared that the Houthi takeover was illegitimate and indicated he remained the constitutional president of Yemen.[29][30][31] Hadi's ex-ministers were released by the Houthis on 16 March as a "goodwill gesture".[32] On 21 March, Hadi officially proclaimed Aden to be the temporary capital of Yemen, until his pledged recapture of Sana'a.[33] Within days, however, a Houthi-led military campaign wrested much of southern Yemen from Hadi's loyalists, prompting Hadi to flee his presidential palace in Aden[34] and Saudi Arabia to launch airstrikes against Houthi positions throughout the country.[35]
Administrative control
As of March 2025, the Houthis control Sana'a, the capital and largest city of Yemen, as well as most of the country's northwestern region, including the Red Sea coastline.[36][37][38] In 2021 the US government estimated that the Houthis controlled approximately one-third of Yemen’s territory. This territory contained approximately 70 to 80 percent of the population. [39]
Governance and administration
The Houthis have established a parallel government known as the Supreme Political Council, headquartered in Sana’a. While not internationally recognized, the SPC administers civil services, taxation, and law enforcement in Houthi-held areas.[40][41][42] Since 2018, the SPC has been headed by Mahdi al-Mashat as Chairman of the Council.[42]
Humanitarian situation
The war has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with Houthi-controlled areas experiencing food shortages, economic decline, and infrastructure damage. The blockade imposed by the Saudi-led coalition, along with internal restrictions on aid, has worsened conditions. Reports from the United Nations and Humanitarian organizations have accused the Houthis of using humanitarian aid as a tool for political leverage.[43][44]
International relations
The Houthis maintain close ties with Iran, which provides them with military and logistical support, though Iran denies direct involvement.[45] The Houthis also maintain close ties with North Korea[46][47] and allegedly Russia.[48][49][50] Their conflict with Saudi Arabia has led to cross-border attacks, including missile and drone strikes on Saudi and Emirati targets. As of 2026, the group has also been designated a terrorist organization by the United States,[51] Malaysia,[52] Australia,[53][54] Canada,[55] New Zealand[56][57], several Gulf nations[58][59] and Costa Rica.[60]
Military strength
Despite facing continuous airstrikes and offensives, the Houthis have sustained their control over northern Yemen, making them one of the most resilient non-state actors in the region. The Houthis have also played a major role in the Red Sea crisis, having seized and launched aerial attacks against dozens of merchant and naval vessels in the Red Sea, drawing hundreds of air strikes on missile sites and other targets by US and allied forces.[61]
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