Who Are the Houthis, and Which Parts of Yemen Do They Control?
The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, are a Yemeni political and armed movement that rules much of the country’s northwest from Sanaa. They do not control all of Yemen. Their established northern stronghold, contested battlefronts and ability to strike distant targets are three different things.
Territorial overview reviewed on 24 October 2026. Front-line control claims remain disputed.
How did the movement emerge?
The movement grew out of a Zaydi religious revival in northern Yemen in the 1990s. Its roots lie in Saada, near the Saudi border, where resentment of marginalisation and competing religious influences helped fuel opposition to the central government. The name comes from the Houthi family; its leader is Abdul Malik al-Houthi.
Zaydism is a branch of Shia Islam with a long history in Yemen. It differs from the predominant Shia tradition in Iran, and being Zaydi does not automatically mean supporting the Houthis.
After years of rebellion and the upheaval surrounding the 2011 protests, Houthi forces seized Sanaa in September 2014. Saudi Arabia led a military intervention the following year to support Yemen’s internationally recognised government. A UN-brokered truce reduced fighting in 2022, but did not resolve the struggle for power.
Which areas do the Houthis control?
The broad pattern is Houthi rule in the densely populated northwest, with the internationally recognised government and allied forces holding other parts of Yemen. Provincial boundaries do not reliably describe military boundaries.
| Place | What can be said |
|---|---|
| Sanaa | The Houthi-held capital and centre of their de facto administration. |
| Saada and the northwestern highlands | The movement’s historical heartland and the core of its northern territorial base. |
| Hodeidah | A Houthi-held Red Sea port city. That does not mean every district along the western coast has the same status. |
| Taiz | The city remains government-held and under siege; the surrounding governorate is a battlefront. |
| Mocha and approaches to Bab el-Mandeb | Recent Houthi gains and rival claims make control contested and time-sensitive. |
| Aden | The seat of the internationally recognised government, outside the Houthi territorial core. |
The Commons Library’s October assessment describes control around Bab el-Mandeb as disputed. ACLED documents a substantial Houthi coastal advance in September, while stressing the difficulty of consolidating it. Those findings do not justify treating every later claim of capture or recapture as settled fact.
On 20 October, Reuters reported that government forces had launched an offensive to reclaim Houthi-held territory near Bab el-Mandab. On 24 October, the Associated Press reported that government forces still held Taiz city center while the Houthis tightened their siege. The AP said it could not independently verify Houthi officials’ claim to control about 80% of the surrounding countryside.
How close are the Houthis to Iran?
Iran supports the movement, and the relationship has strengthened during the war. But alliance does not establish that Tehran directs every Houthi decision. Reuters describes a movement with a mainly domestic agenda as well as ideological alignment with Iran; the Houthis deny being an Iranian proxy.
Why do they matter beyond Yemen?
Since late 2023, attacks on shipping have disrupted a major route between Asia and Europe. Missile and drone capabilities allow the Houthis to threaten targets far beyond the areas they administer. Their stated support for Palestinians has been part of the justification they give for maritime attacks.
A vessel being attacked near a strait does not establish control of its waters, just as a missile hitting an airport does not establish occupation of the city. Readers following the latest attack on Aden airport should keep that distinction in mind.
Sources
- Wilson Center — Who are Yemen’s Houthis? (7 July 2022; historical background).
- Reuters, via Internazionale — Who are the Houthis, Iran’s allies in Yemen? (8 September 2026).
- House of Commons Library — Yemen 2026 (5 October 2026; including the full report).
- ACLED — Houthi gains around Bab al-Mandab (analysis includes data through 25 September 2026).
- House of Commons Library — Houthis in the Red Sea 2024/25 (historical maritime context).
- The Guardian — Food and fuel run low in Taiz (15 October 2026).
- Reuters — Death toll from Houthi attack on Yemen training camp rises to 73 (20 October 2026; also reports an offensive near Bab el-Mandab).
- Associated Press — Drinking water supplies dwindle in Yemeni city besieged by Houthi rebels (24 October 2026; Houthi territorial claims are not independently verified).
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