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Houthis (Ansar_Allah)

An Iran-backed Zaydi Shia Islamist movement in Yemen and a central pillar of the 'Axis of Resistance' that targets Israel and international shipping.

The Zioneer Intelligence Desk
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The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah ('Supporters of God'), are a militant and political movement based in northern Yemen. Emerging in the 1990s as a Zaydi Shia revivalist group, they seized the capital, Sana'a, in 2014, sparking a protracted civil war. Today, they function as a primary Iranian proxy, receiving advanced weaponry, training, and strategic guidance from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). For Israel, the Houthis represent a significant long-range threat. As members of the Iranian-led 'Axis of Resistance,' they have increasingly integrated into the multi-front campaign against the Jewish state. This involvement escalated dramatically following the October 7 massacre, with the group launching ballistic missiles and long-range drones toward Eilat and central Israel, while simultaneously imposing a maritime blockade in the Red Sea. Recent intelligence indicates that the group is exploiting regional ceasefire periods to consolidate their military capabilities. Rather than de-escalating, the Houthis are reportedly focused on improving the range and precision of their missile arsenal. This technological advancement, facilitated by Iranian expertise, suggests a long-term commitment to maintaining a southern front against Israel. Israeli security officials maintain that the 'account remains open' with the group, emphasizing that tactical lulls do not equate to a cessation of the Houthi threat. The group's ideology is explicitly defined by its slogan, which includes calls for the destruction of Israel and the United States, underscoring their role as a permanent adversary to regional stability and Israeli security.

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