The Houthi Rebels: Unveiling Their Motives for Targeting Ships in the Red Sea

Yemen's Iran-supported Houthi insurgents are increasing their attacks on ships in the Red Sea, claiming revenge against Israel for its actions in Gaza. These attacks have led major shipping and oil companies to halt transit through one of the most critical maritime trade routes, potentially impacting the global economy.

The Houthis are suspected to have received weapons and training from Iran, leading to concerns that their attacks could expand Israel's conflict with Hamas into a broader regional war.

Here's what we understand about the Houthis and their reasons for participating in the conflict.

Who are the Houthis?

The Houthi movement, also known as Ansarallah (Supporters of God), is a key player in the Yemeni civil war which has been ongoing for close to ten years. Its origins can be traced back to the 1990s, when Hussein al-Houthi established "Believing Youth," a religious revival movement for the Zaidi sect of Shia Islam, which has deep historical roots.

The Zaidis had been in power in Yemen for centuries, but they were marginalized under the Sunni regime that emerged after the 1962 civil war. The Al-Houthis movement was established to advocate for the Zaidis and oppose radical Sunnism, particularly Wahhabi ideologies from Saudi Arabia. His most loyal supporters became known as the Houthis.

How did they gain power?

After the 1990 unification of North and South Yemen, Ali Abdullah Saleh, the country's first president, initially backed the Believing Youth movement. However, as the group gained more support and intensified its anti-government stance, Saleh viewed them as a threat. The situation reached a breaking point in 2003 when Saleh publicly supported the United States invasion of Iraq, a move that was widely opposed by the Yemeni population. Taking advantage of the public anger, al-Houthi organized large-scale protests. In response, Saleh issued a warrant for his arrest after months of unrest.

Al-Houthi was killed in September 2004 by Yemeni forces, but his movement lived on. The Houthi military wing grew as more fighters joined the cause. Emboldened by the early Arab Spring protests in 2011, they took control of the northern province of Saada and called for the end of the Saleh regime.

Newly recruited fighters who joined a Houthi force intended to be sent to fight in support of Palestinians in Gaza march in Sanaa, Yemen, December 2, 2023.

Khaled Abdullah/Reuters

Do the Houthis control Yemen?

In 2011, Saleh agreed to transfer power to his Vice President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. However, this government did not gain much popularity. The Houthis made another move in 2014 by seizing control of sections of Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, and eventually launching an attack on the presidential palace in early 2015.

Hadi sought refuge in Saudi Arabia and requested their intervention in the war against the Houthis in March 2015. The swift campaign turned into a years-long conflict, culminating in a ceasefire in 2022. However, the ceasefire lapsed after six months and the warring parties have not resumed full-scale conflict.

The United Nations has declared the war in Yemen as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. UN statistics indicate that nearly a quarter of a million people have been killed during the conflict.

Who are their allies?

The Houthis have solidified their dominance in the majority of northern Yemen following the ceasefire. Additionally, they have been pursuing an agreement with the Saudis to effectively terminate the war and establish themselves as the governing power in the country.

Iran has increased its support to the Houthis since 2014 as the civil war escalated. This includes providing weapons, sea mines, ballistic and cruise missiles, and drones, according to a 2021 report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The Houthis are part of Iran's "Axis of Resistance," an alliance of regional militias that are anti-Western and anti-Israel, and have recently attacked Israel alongside Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

How powerful are the Houthis?

The American officials have been monitoring the continual enhancements in the reach, precision, and effectiveness of the domestically manufactured missiles by the Houthis. According to an official with knowledge of US intelligence who spoke to CNN earlier, the initial Houthi weapons were primarily put together using Iranian parts that were smuggled into Yemen in separate components.

This image provided by the U.S. Navy shows the USS Carney in the Mediterranean Sea on Oct. 23, 2018.

Ryan U. Kledzik/US Navy/AP

US Navy ship shoots down 14 drones launched from Yemen

The official stated that despite making incremental changes, they have resulted in significant overall improvements. A recent development saw the Houthis launching medium-range ballistic missiles at Israel's southern region of Eilat, which Israel intercepted. Though the threat to Israel may be limited, the Houthis' technology has the potential to disrupt the Red Sea, as they have targeted commercial ships with drones and anti-ship missiles, prompting the USS Carney to respond to distress calls.

Why are the Houthis attacking ships in the Red Sea?

The Houthis, though lacking the capabilities of Hamas and Hezbollah due to a combination of geography and technology, may still pose a threat to Israel and its allies through their strikes on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

The significance of this specific area of sea, stretching from the Bab-el-Mandeb straits off the coast of Yemen to the Suez Canal in northern Egypt, has been underscored by recent events in the global economy. This narrow passage facilitates 12% of global trade flows, including 30% of global container traffic.

Houthi fighters seized control of the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red Sea, November 20, 2023.

Houthi Movement via Getty Images

The grounding of the Ever Given in the Suez Canal in 2021 blocked the crucial trade route for nearly a week, resulting in significant disruptions to global supply chains and holding up an estimated $10 billion in cargo each day. Similarly, ongoing Houthi drone and missile attacks against commercial vessels since December 9 have raised concerns about the potential for even greater economic shock on a global scale.

Four of the five largest global shipping companies, including Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM Group, and Evergreen, have announced a temporary suspension of shipping through the Red Sea due to concerns about potential Houthi attacks. Following suit, the oil giant BP also stated on Monday that it would halt shipping in the area, leading to a surge in oil and gas prices.

If the attacks continue, it could result in ships having to take a much longer route around Africa, leading to an increase in insurance costs. As a result, companies may pass on these higher costs to consumers, causing prices to rise. This comes at a time when governments worldwide are already grappling with post-pandemic inflation.

The Houthis have stated that they will not back down until Israel permits the delivery of food and medicine to Gaza. Their attacks may be aimed at causing economic difficulties for Israel's allies, in the hope of persuading them to stop their bombardment of Gaza. Supporting the Palestinian cause may also be a strategy to gain domestic and regional credibility as they strive to gain control of northern Yemen. Additionally, it could give them an advantage over their Arab rivals, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whom they accuse of being influenced by the US and Israel.

Houthi fighters march in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, at a parade in Sanaa, Yemen, December 2, 2023.

Khaled Abdullah/Reuters

How has the world reacted?

The attacks may have the intention of drawing in more countries into the conflict. In response, Israel has issued a warning that it is prepared to take action against the Houthis if the international community does not. National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi stressed the need for a "global arrangement" to address the threat, stating that it is a "global issue" and referring to the Houthi attacks as a "naval siege."

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin observed a joint press conference with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at Israel's Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv, Israel on December 18, 2023. (Photo credit: Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters)

The US has declared a new multinational naval task force, including the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Norway, and more, to address the threat posed by the non-state actor responsible for recent attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. This initiative aims to protect the free flow of commerce, safeguard innocent mariners, and uphold international law.

Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a representative of the Houthi group, stated to Al Jazeera on Monday that they are prepared to oppose any coalition led by the US in the Red Sea. As the Biden administration faces pressure to urge Israel to end its operations in Gaza, the US could become increasingly involved in the Middle East due to the persistent and impactful Houthi rebels.

CNNs Katie Bo Lillis and Natasha Bertrand contributed reporting.