Houthi Rebels Seize Yemeni Port

On October 14, Houthi rebels captured the Yemeni city of Hodeidah on the Red Sea coast. Hodeidah is the second largest port in Yemen as well as the country's fourth largest city. According to one account, the rebels "took control of the checkpoints without fighting any soldiers," and control the airport as well, although it continues to operate (Yemen Times, October 15). The group had previously captured the national capital of Sana'a in September and many members still control a number of government buildings. [1]

The Houthis are a political-religious movement made up of Zaydi Shi'ites based in the northern highlands of Yemen who have fought against the central Yemeni government for many years. Among other complaints, Houthis disagree with the current structure of the Yemeni government, desiring that that the north of the country be one region instead of the current three (al-Jazeera, October 16). While the Houthis controlled Sana'a, Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi appointed Khaled Bahah as prime minister as part of the Houthis' demands. Rebels also signed the Peace and National Partnership Agreement, a guideline for a federal state. As a part of this agreement, the Houthis agreed to leave Sana'a, but this has yet to happen (al-Ahram Weekly, October 16).

In addition to their fight against the Yemeni state, the Houthis are also enemies of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) because the Salafist AQAP views the Shi'a Houthis as heretics. According to one account, the Houthis seized an arsenal in Hodeidah that belonged to Ali Mohsen, a fugitive general who the rebels accuse of funding and supplying al-Qaeda (al-Ahram Weekly, October 16). Shortly after Houthis seized Hodeidah, other Houthi fighters clashed with militants from Ansar al-Shari'a, a close affiliate of AQAP, and ultimately seized control of Ibb, a city 150 kilometers south of Sana'a and close to an AQAP stronghold (al-Jazeera, October 16). Skirmishes have continued between the two groups since Ibb fell.

Hodeidah is Yemen's primary oil export hub. Control of the port gives the Houthi rebels further leverage over Sana'a as the rebel group has asked all foreign oil companies to stop exports immediately (Daily Sabah [Istanbul], October 16). Port access also provides an easier means of obtaining weapons for the interior Houthi strongholds, potentially from Iran, which already provides financial support as well as small arms and ammunition for the rebel group (Al-Monitor, October 19). In early 2013, an Iranian ship was intercepted by Yemeni authorities carrying explosives and surface-to-air missiles (Reuters, February 2, 2013). This support goes all the way to the top of Iran's leadership; a high-level advisor to Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that "Iran supports the rightful struggle of [the Houthis] in Yemen" (Arab News, October 22). Iran supports the movement as a way of disrupting Saudi Arabia's involvement in Yemen and because of the shared Shi'a denomination. The additional funding of the Houthis through port activities and access will be enough to provide for the materials needed to continue their assault on both the government and al-Qaeda. With the capital and a significant port under the control of Houthi rebels and al-Qaeda strongholds in other parts of the country, the Yemeni government is clearly too weak to intervene between the two groups, promising more violence and destabilization in the country.

Note

1. For more on the Houthi expansion, please see Terrorism Monitor, May 2, 2014, http://www.jamestown.org/regions/middleeast/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=42302&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=677&cHash=fe7c90cfc01735fb85cfb70485b1eb2

Link to original story on Jamestown website