Khalid Al-Sulaiman

The Houthis: Digging Their Own Grave

July 15, 2026 - 23:35 | Last updated July 15, 2026 - 23:35

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The Houthis' behavior is marked by political frivolity and military recklessness, typical of militias and terrorist organizations, not governments. They try to present themselves as an authority representing the Yemeni state, yet fail to project an image of statehood or legitimate authority.

In fact, the Houthis do not hide their identity as part of the Iranian system, which deprives their attempts to gain state legitimacy of any chance of success. They are effectively hostile to all surrounding countries and have no diplomatic relations with any country in the world except Iran, while their external ties are limited to rebel groups and terrorist militias similar in image and approach.

They recklessly engaged in conflict with the world's foremost superpower, invited Israeli intervention in Yemen, and foolishly antagonize their most important neighbor, which represents the only opportunity to save the Yemeni economy and help the state build its institutions and implement development projects.

They are unable to extend their sovereignty over all Yemeni territory, unable to impose their policy on their neighbors, and their only outlet is Iran, which effectively controls their will, leaving them floundering like a lame duck unable to escape the mud they live in. Fortunately for them, Saudi Arabia separates the interests of the Yemeni people from the enmity of the Houthi militia—it supports the central bank that pays salaries to government employees in Sanaa, allows residents of its controlled areas to enter and exit its territory, and work in its market. If it closed its border crossings with Yemen, the only lifeline helping Sanaa survive would be cut off, while Iran provides Yemen with nothing but tools of death and destruction.

In short, by all standards of statehood, Yemen under the Houthis has no chance of emerging from its deep crisis, yet they continue to dig their own grave and bask in the fading sun of the Iranian regime.