Understanding the Houthi Rebels: Their Motives Behind Targeting Ships in the Red Sea

US and UK-led forces have carried out air strikes in response to drone and rocket attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea. The attacks were conducted by the Houthis, an Iran-backed rebel group that holds control over a significant portion of Yemen. These attacks began after the Israel-Hamas war started on October 7th. The Houthis declared their support for Hamas and threatened to target any ship heading to Israel, although it is unclear if all attacked ships were traveling in that direction. In November, the Houthis claimed responsibility for seizing an Israeli cargo ship. Since then, they have continued to target commercial vessels using drones and ballistic missiles. This has led major shipping firms such as Mediterranean Shipping Company, Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, and BP to divert their ships away from the Red Sea. The US government has accused Iran of being heavily involved in planning these attacks. The Houthis, a armed group representing Yemen's Shia Muslim minority, were formed in the 1990s in response to what they saw as corruption by then-president Ali Abdullah Saleh. There has been ongoing conflict between the Houthis and Yemen's government since 2014, with the government receiving support from a coalition of Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The war has resulted in numerous casualties and displaced millions of people. The Houthis consider themselves part of the Iranian-led "axis of resistance" against Israel, the US, and the West, alongside groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. They have received military support from Hezbollah since 2014, and Iran is believed to supply weapons to the Houthis. However, Iran denies involvement in the Red Sea attacks. The Houthis have also targeted Saudi Arabia and the UAE with missiles and drones, as well as firing projectiles towards Israel during the conflict in Gaza. The official government of Yemen is the Presidential Leadership Council, which President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi transferred his powers to in April 2022. However, Hadi has been based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia since fleeing Yemen in 2015. The Houthis control the majority of Yemen's territory, including the Red Sea coast, where they collect taxes and print money.