Who are the Houthis and what is their goal?
The Houthis are a religious-political movement in Yemen, officially called "Ansar Allah" ("Supporters of God"). The movement controls the Yemeni capital Sanaa, as well as the western and northern parts of the country. More than 20 million people live in these areas, which is nearly 70 percent of Yemen's population.
Who are the Houthis and what is their goal?
The military, religious, and political leader of the Yemeni Houthis, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi (born in 1979), is the son of Islamic scholar Badr al-Din al-Houthi and has been leading the movement since 2004.
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi's lineage traces back to the al-Houthi dynasty in Yemen. Representatives of this dynasty are recognized as "sayyids," that is, descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. They are also referred to as "Hashimites," "Ashraf," and "Ahl al-Bayt" — "the people of the Prophet's household."
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi holds no official position in the state structures under Houthi control, but he holds the title of "Qaid as-Thawra" ("Leader of the Revolution"). His powers are compared to those of the Supreme Leader in Iran.
Brothers, nephews, and other relatives of Abdul-Malik al-Houthi play an important role in the leadership of the movement. Among them are Yahya and Abd al-Khaliq al-Houthi, his uncle Abdul-Karim al-Houthi, his nephew Muhammad Ali al-Houthi, his son-in-law Yusuf al-Madani, and others.
As the Houthi movement developed, its goals also changed. In 2004–2010, they aimed to achieve religious and political autonomy in the Zaidi-inhabited provinces of Yemen. After seizing power in 2014, they sought to consolidate it and strengthen control throughout the country.
After the Saudi Arabia-led coalition forces entered Yemen in 2015, the Houthis set a goal to unite Yemen and free the country from foreign forces, primarily the US, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and their Yemeni allies.
In practice, this means hostile relations with all competing military-political forces. These include the Presidential Leadership Council, the Southern Transitional Council, and anti-Houthi armed groups in the west of the country.
The program adopted in 2019 declared the goal of building a pluralistic and democratic Yemeni state based on secular and republican principles. However, this program differs significantly from the movement's actual political activities. The Houthis are engaged in reorganizing the country and society in accordance with their own religious and ideological views.