Who are the Yemeni Houthis and why are they attacking ships in the Red Sea?

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels are playing an increasingly important role in the conflict in the Middle East, with successive attacks on ships in the Red Sea and drone and missile attacks on Israel. The goal, in their opinion, is to support the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Tuesday the creation of a multinational operation to protect trade in the Red Sea in response to Houthi attacks, reports Reuters.

The Houthi attacks have threatened the sea routes through which much of the world’s oil is transported.

Who are the Houthis?

In the late 1990s, the Houthi family in Yemen’s far north launched a movement to revive the Zaydi sect of Shiite Islam that once ruled Yemen. As the conflict with the Yemeni government escalated, there were several guerrilla wars with the national army and a border conflict with Saudi Arabia, partly in response to Saudi Arabia’s growing financial and religious influence.

The Houthi rebels have grown in power during Yemen’s war, which began in late 2014 when they captured Sanaa. The Houthis have established control over much of the north and other major population centers, and an internationally recognized government has established itself in Aden.

The war in Yemen subsided more than a year ago thanks to UN-led peace efforts. However, on October 31, the Houthis intervened in the conflict that erupted in the Middle East on October 7 – with the Hamas attack on Israel – announcing that they had fired drones and missiles at Israel and vowing to continue attacks “until May 2020.” the aggression will stop.”

The Houthis are part of what they call an “axis of resistance” against Israel, as are Hamas and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah.

On December 9, they escalated their threats, declaring that they would attack all ships bound for Israel, regardless of nationality, and warning all international shipping companies not to trade with Israeli ports. “If the Gaza Strip does not receive the food and medicine it needs, all ships in the Red Sea heading to Israeli ports, regardless of nationality, will be targeted by our armed forces,” the Houthi spokesman said. Reuters.

This Monday, a Norwegian oil tanker was attacked while sailing in the Red Sea. In response to the Houthi attacks, BP decided this Monday to temporarily suspend all its ships on routes crossing the Red Sea.