Sirens warning of incoming ballistic missiles have become a nightly reality for millions of Israelis in central Israel over the past week. These attacks come from the Houthis in Yemen—a fanatical group disrupting vital shipping routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since 2023, choking global trade and harming economies worldwide.
Yet during the Gaza war, anti-Israel demonstrators in the West have been seen cheering for them on campuses. Why? And who are these Houthis?
Who Are the Houthis?
EMILY’S TAKE
The Houthis are a Shia Muslim extremist group in Yemen, founded in the 1990s and led by Abdul Malik al-Houthi. They are notorious for their egregious human rights violations: using child soldiers and child brides, targeting civilians, employing human shields, executing members of the LGBTQ+ community, taking hostages, and enforcing gender apartheid against women.
This group is defined by its murderous ideology and oppressive practices. Their official slogan and flag declare: “Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse the Jews.”
Backed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Houthis serve as a deadly proxy in Tehran’s campaign of destabilization and occupation throughout the Middle East. The Iranian regime has provided the Houthis with funding, weapons, and resources, enabling them to attack not only their neighbors but also nations far beyond the region—including Israel, the U.S., and the U.K.
The Cost of Iranian Backing
Iran’s influence plunged Yemen into a brutal civil war, resulting in one of the worst famines in modern history. The Houthis have exacerbated this crisis by using starvation as a deliberate weapon. Thanks to Iranian support, the Houthis have gained unprecedented territory and power, threatening Yemen's government and stability.
Since October 7, the Houthis have turned their focus to destroying the State of Israel. They have fired an increasing number of drones and ballistic missiles at Israeli civilians, attacked U.S., U.K., and commercial ships in the Red Sea, and killed British and American soldiers. These attacks, carried out under the guise of "solidarity" with Palestinians, are cheered on by uninformed college students in the West.
A Global Problem Demands a Global Solution
The Houthi problem is not just Israel’s problem. That is why the U.S., U.K., and Israeli forces have targeted Houthi strongholds. Despite these efforts, the Houthis remain the last proxy standing in the region.
How can a country defeat the Houthis when even bombing them into the Stone Age might not be effective? After all, they already live there. Like Hezbollah and Hamas, Houthi leaders must be targeted, and their capabilities must be eradicated. But the only lasting solution is to cut off the head of the snake: the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Iranian regime is the lifeline of Houthi atrocities and aggression. Eliminating this regime is not just a moral imperative—it’s a strategic necessity. Doing so would restore stability and hope to Yemen, Iran, and the entire Middle East.