Houthis Defy Expectations, Grow Stronger Despite Years of War
The Houthi rebels in Yemen have defied expectations and grown stronger despite years of war and air raids from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the US, Britain, and Israel.
A report by UN experts estimated that the Houthis had recruited up to 350,000 fighters by 2024, a significant increase from just 30,000 in 2015 when the conflict began. Michael Knights, head of research at Horizon Engage, describes the Houthis as 'the most committed, the most ideologically pure and the most aggressive' of Iran's regional allies.
The Houthis operate in a large and mountainous territory where they can disperse fighters and military infrastructure while threatening major oil infrastructure and key trade routes. They possess a wide array of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones that resemble Iranian models, which can reach all the Gulf states as well as Israel.