Abdulmalik al-Houthi, the leader of Yemen’s Houthi rebel movement, has recently intensified military operations against Saudi Arabia, escalating a conflict that has persisted for over a decade. Although al-Houthi has remained out of public view for years, reportedly operating from a network of tunnels in his home province of Sad’ah in northern Yemen, his forces have launched nearly daily attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure and maritime targets along the Red Sea coast in recent weeks.

Since July, the Houthis have declared a blockade on Saudi ports and initiated missile and drone strikes against Saudi tankers, actions that have heightened tensions in the region and contributed to a rise in global oil prices. Their offensive along Yemen’s Red Sea coast includes efforts to control the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a crucial gateway for international shipping, underscoring their strategic ambitions.

The Houthi movement, rooted in a radical branch of Zaydi Shia Islam, has long espoused strong anti-U.S. and anti-Israel positions and pro-Palestinian rhetoric since its founding by Abdulmalik’s brother, Hussein al-Houthi, in the 1990s. Under Abdulmalik’s leadership, the group has transformed into a militarized and ideologically driven force. The Houthis fought internal Yemeni battles and a series of border clashes with Saudi forces before seizing the capital, Sana’a, in 2014 amid the country’s political upheaval following the 2011 Arab Spring protests.

Saudi Arabia intervened militarily in 2015, aiming to restore Yemen’s internationally recognized government and counter what it perceived as Iranian influence over the Houthis. The war has since resulted in a costly stalemate, with the Houthis maintaining control over significant territory despite repeated airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition, as well as U.S. and Israeli attacks.

The conflict took on a new dimension following the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the ensuing Gaza war. The Houthis intensified their attacks on Israel and maritime targets in the Red Sea, citing solidarity with Palestinians. The U.S. and Israel responded with airstrikes in Yemen, but the Houthis have shown resilience. Notably, former U.S. President Donald Trump commended the group’s endurance despite designating it a terrorist organization.

Observers note that al-Houthi’s recent military successes strengthen his position and reduce incentives for compromise. Analysts describe him as increasingly isolated but driven by a conviction to pursue his regional and ideological goals, including the stated aim of liberating Palestine.

While the Houthis maintain a complex relationship with Iran, their connections deepened after Saudi Arabia’s intervention, with Tehran providing training, weapons, and technical assistance. However, experts say al-Houthi does not take direct orders from Iran, balancing internal factions that either favor closer alignment with Tehran or adopt a more nationalist Yemeni agenda.

The rebels’ confrontations with Saudi Arabia and their strategic advances along the Red Sea are seen as efforts to compel Riyadh to negotiate on terms favorable to the Houthis amid worsening economic conditions in northern Yemen. Both al-Houthi and Iran share an interest in projecting power in the Red Sea region and countering U.S. influence, but the primary driver of the conflict remains the Houthis’ domestic ambition to end the war on their own terms.