Houthis
The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, are a Zaydi Shia Islamist movement and militant group in Yemen. As a key component of the Iranian-led 'Axis of Resistance,' they utilize ballistic missiles and drones to target international shipping and Israeli territory, serving as a strategic southern front for the IRGC.
The Houthi movement emerged from northern Yemen in the 1990s and seized the capital, Sana'a, in 2014, sparking a protracted civil war. While their origins are rooted in local religious and political grievances, the movement has evolved into a primary strategic proxy for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This partnership provides the Houthis with advanced military technology, including long-range ballistic missiles and loitering munitions, which they deploy against regional adversaries to serve the broader Iranian objective of encircling Israel with a 'ring of fire.' For Israel, the Houthi threat represents a significant expansion of the southern front. The group has repeatedly attempted to strike Israeli targets, most notably the southern port city of Eilat and central Israel, and has disrupted global trade by attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea. In late July 2026, the Houthis significantly escalated their regional aggression by declaring an end to their ceasefire with Saudi Arabia and implementing a maritime blockade. This escalation included direct strikes on Saudi oil tankers, such as the ENCELIA and LAYLA, and a major attack on the Aramco refinery in Jazan, detected by NASA satellite data. These actions have triggered a severe response from the United States, with President Trump establishing a 'strike equation'—promising immediate military retaliation for any ship attacked in the Bab el-Mandeb or Hormuz straits. As of late July 2026, reports suggest the U.S., Israel, and several Gulf states are preparing a joint military operation to neutralize the Houthi-Iranian threat to international shipping and regional stability.