Who is Houthi leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi?

Around 1980: Born to cleric from
Yemen’s Zaydi Shia minority

1990: Minority marginalised during
rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh,
unified Yemen's first president

1990s: Older brother Hussein
Badr-al-Din al-Houthi builds up
large following among Shia

2004: Assumes leadership of
Houthis after death of brother, killed
by Yemeni security forces

2007: Given control of negotiations
with Yemeni government in 2007

2011: Appeals to Yemeni citizens
with criticism of petrol prices and
Saudi drone strikes

Sep 2014: Houthi forces attempt to
overthrow Yemeni government under
President Abed Rabbo Mansour

Nov 2014: New government –
including Houthi officials – rejected
over inclusion of former ministers

Jan 2015: Government in Sanaa
overthrown, replaced by Supreme
Revolutionary Committee

Spring 2015: Seizes control of 16
provinces in northern Yemen

Jan 2021: U.S. designates Houthis
as Foreign Terrorist Organization –
al-Houthi and two others as Specially
Designated Global Terrorists

2022: U.N. brokers truce between
Houthis and Saudi-backed government

Oct 7, 2023: Houthis fire drones
and rockets at Eilat, disrupt Red Sea
Sea shipping in support of Hamas
following attack on Israel

Jul 13, 2026: Fighting resumes
between Houthis and Saudi Arabia


Zaydi
Shia: Ruled
1,000-year-old
kingdom
until
1962

SAUDI ARABIA
Sanaa
YEMEN
ERITREA

Bab
al-Mandab
strait

Mocha
Taiz
ETHIOPIA
Aden

IRAN
Detail


Sep 16: Houthis reportedly
meet U.S. officials, agree not
to attack any vessels, except
those of Saudi Arabia


Sources: Reuters, USW 
Picture: Newscom 
© GRAPHIC NEWS