الدور الحوثي في حرب اليمن وعلاقاتهم الخارجية بعد عام 2011

Abstract EN

Over the past two decades, the Houthis have gone from being a mere local religious movement in Yemen's northern Saada governorate to becoming the de facto authority that controls the capital, Sana'a, and most of the northern governorates.

it is true that there are several factors that helped them gain such power, including the collapse of state institutions and the opportunities created by local and regional rivalries, but the main reason is primarily due to the Houthis’ ability to use a range of religious, political and social identities, which helped them to recruit fighters.

defeating opponents, and building various alliances.

this is a pragmatic method; the Houthis, according to the circumstances, adopted certain identities and preferred them over others.

such a strategy enabled them to be a solid and stubborn opponent that exceeded all expectations that were woven around them.

the ultimate goal of the Houthi movement, a movement that espoused the representation of a strong Zaidi Shiite minority in Yemen, was to revive the zaidi leadership as a counterweight to its competing Sunni ideologies.