The American Majority

The Houthis are often described simply as an Iranian proxy. But that description can obscure how much independent political and military power the movement has developed. The movement, formally known as Ansar Allah, seized Yemen's capital, Sana'a, in 2014. After years of war, it became the dominant authority across much of northern Yemen, an area containing a large share of the country's population. Its main domestic opponent is Yemen's internationally recognized government, which has relied heavily on Saudi support and whose leadership has frequently operated from outside the capital. Saudi Arabia intervened militarily in Yemen in 2015, leading a coalition that sought to reverse the Houthi takeover. The war produced enormous humanitarian consequences and eventually resulted in a truce in 2022 that dramatically reduced large-scale fighting. That truce did not resolve the underlying political dispute. The Houthis retained control of Sana'a and large parts of northern Yemen, while the internationally recognized government remained dependent on external backing. The relationship with Iran is real and important. Tehran has provided the Houthis with various forms of support, including weapons, technical assistance and political backing. But that does not necessarily mean Tehran controls every Houthi decision. The Houthis have their own domestic interests, political calculations and confrontation with Saudi Arabia. If Washington negotiates with Tehran, it cannot automatically assume that an agreement with Iran will make Houthi military activity disappear. The Houthis may be aligned with Iran on major regional issues while simultaneously pursuing objectives that are specifically Yemeni. In other words, the region's armed groups cannot always be understood as pieces moved by a single outside power. @americanmajority