American magazine: Houthis remain a growing problem for regional security despite halting their attacks in the Red Sea

An American magazine said that "Houthi attacks in Yemen on commercial ships in the Red Sea stopped with the temporary ceasefire in Gaza, but the group still represents a growing problem for regional security."

According to The National Interest magazine, “At a time when the international community is breathing a sigh of relief after the Houthis ended their thirteen-month campaign against maritime traffic in the Red Sea, the group’s local operations are escalating.”

Shortly after Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire, the Houthis signaled an end to their attacks on commercial shipping — first in an email to international shipping companies and then in a statement by the group’s leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi. However, the group made clear that it reserved the right to target Israeli-owned vessels and warned that it could resume its attacks if necessary.

The magazine's report noted that "the attacks were a major blow to international shipping, forcing shippers to choose between three expensive options: traveling around the Horn of Africa to avoid the Bab el-Mandeb Strait altogether, paying customs duties to the Houthis, or transferring their cargo to smaller boats to mitigate the risk of attack."

While it remains uncertain whether the Houthi rebels will resume firing drones and missiles at ships, their focus has clearly shifted to domestic operations against Yemen's internationally recognized government.

Escalation locally

In the days since the ceasefire was announced — and as the Trump administration redesignated the group as a foreign terrorist organization — the Houthis have taken several troubling steps to consolidate their control over Yemeni territory.

Last May, the Houthis detained 13 staff from the United Nations and other local and international NGOs, forcing the UN to suspend its movement in Houthi-controlled territory and cutting off the organization’s access to the 70-80 percent of Yemenis living in Houthi-controlled areas.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that the Houthis have moved thousands of fighters to the front lines in Marib Governorate, which has been the main focus of the group’s operations, and have begun carrying out some strikes in preparation for a larger military offensive to take Marib.

In addition to these military developments, Houthi loyalists launched a messaging campaign targeting local tribes in the governorate, pressuring them to relinquish control of strategic energy facilities, government buildings and military bases in the area.

Several Houthi leaders have reportedly been bragging about the coming final push to take over all of Yemen, with one official going so far as to publicly warn that U.S. assets in the Middle East are within reach of Houthi missiles if President Trump continues his “hostility.”

The American magazine noted that "despite their destabilizing actions and blatant human rights violations in Yemen, the Houthis rarely attract significant international attention except when their activities threaten the global economy."

“Their recent moves against the internationally recognized government, the Presidential Leadership Council, should be seen as a strategic effort to gain leverage ahead of future peace negotiations,” she said.

The Houthis have consistently refused to enter into direct negotiations with the Presidential Council, and have made clear their intention to monopolize power in Yemen. Their renewed push to seize Marib—one of the Yemeni government’s last strongholds—would expand their economic base and give them a new sense of legitimacy within the international community.

At the same time, this would significantly reduce the Yemeni government’s control over an important geographical area, eroding its credibility both domestically and internationally.

Consequences of Houthi control

A Houthi takeover of Yemen would have far-reaching consequences for the United States and its allies in the region, the magazine says, as such an outcome would strengthen Iran’s foothold in the country and give Tehran access to new strategic locations along the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the border with Saudi Arabia.

Moreover, it is likely to encourage the Houthis to expand beyond Yemen’s borders and enhance their efforts to cooperate with other US adversaries, including Russia and China, according to the National Interest report.

The Houthis are reported to be cooperating with the Somali al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab and have deployed forces in Syria. Meanwhile, reports of Houthi mercenaries fighting in the Ukraine war and a potential deal that would see Moscow send the Houthis advanced anti-ship missiles.

Along with allegations that China is helping the Houthis obtain weapons, the group is thinking beyond working with other non-state groups, and if things continue this way, what was once a local insurgency will continue to grow as a geopolitical challenge to the United States.