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

By Leo Sands

December 12, 2023 at 11:44 a.m. EST

Houthi militants in Yemen are escalating attacks on ships traversing the Red Sea, one of the world’s busiest maritime routes, including for oil shipments.

Since Israel declared war against Hamas in retaliation for its Oct. 7 cross-border attack, the Iranian-backed Houthis have used their base in northern Yemen to fire missiles and drones at several ships passing through the Red Sea. U.S. forces in the Middle East have been forced to respond in some cases; in November, personnel on the USS Carney downed cruise missiles and drones launched from Yemen, possibly aimed at Israel. Other Iranian-backed groups in the region have also attacked U.S. targets, in retaliation against Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

Houthis claim they are attacking Israeli-linked vessels or those destined for its ports. Israel’s military has said that at least some of the vessels have no link to Israel. On Nov. 19, Houthi rebels escalated their attacks even further, by hijacking a 620-foot-long cargo vessel, the Galaxy Leader, and taking 25 of its crew members captive.

The United States, hoping to contain Israel’s war against Hamas from expanding across the region without getting drawn into Yemen’s civil conflict, hopes a coalition of allies will step in to safeguard vessels in the Red Sea.

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

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