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Latest news on the Houthis (Ansar Allah), also known as Houthi rebels, covering Houthi attacks, Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab shipping, the war in Yemen, Sanaa, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Israel, missile strikes and the humanitarian crisis.

The Houthis, formally Ansar Allah, are a Zaidi Shia movement from Saada in northern Yemen, led by Abdul-Malik al-Houthi. They seized the capital Sanaa in 2014 and run a de facto administration over much of the populous north and parts of the Red Sea coast. The internationally recognised government, based in Aden, disputes their authority.

Since the Gaza war began in 2023, the Houthis have fired missiles and drones at Israel and attacked or seized commercial ships, saying they act in solidarity with Palestinians. The United States, the United Kingdom and Israel have answered with air strikes, while the EU runs the naval mission Aspides. Shipping lines have rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope, raising freight costs and cutting Suez Canal traffic.

The Red Sea campaign has paused and resumed with wider regional fighting, including confrontation involving Iran. Western and Gulf governments say Iran supplies weapons, which Tehran denies. Fighting with Saudi Arabia and Yemeni government forces has also flared repeatedly, and the United States has designated Ansar Allah a foreign terrorist organisation.

Yemen faces one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with more than 20 million people needing aid, millions displaced and widespread food insecurity. The port of Hodeidah is a lifeline for imports, and any disruption raises fears of famine. The UN says the Houthis have detained dozens of its staff, and human rights groups criticise arbitrary arrests and the recruitment of children.

The movement grew from a revival group in Saada in the 1990s, and founder Hussein al-Houthi was killed in 2004 after the first of six wars with the government. After the 2011 uprising, the Houthis took Sanaa, and a Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015. A UN-brokered truce in 2022 reduced the fighting but did not produce a lasting peace deal.

Our NewsNow feed on the Houthis is constantly updated with the most relevant headlines from reliable sources. Whether you follow Red Sea shipping, Yemen peace talks, Houthi attacks, Iran and Saudi Arabia or the humanitarian emergency, this feed gives you comprehensive Houthi news.