ARE THE HOUTHIS IRAN’S BEST ARMY?
YANKEE TEA NEWS
OP-ED
Monday, September 21, 2026
Of all the proxies for Iran, the Houthis have: 1) The most fighting experience, 2) The most effective military organization, and 3) They are the most politically disciplined of all the groups in Yemen. But the Houthis are not really an overnight sensation. It has taken decades for them to reach where they are now. Arguably, they are outclassing Iran – with Iran’s help.
Houthi Overview - The history of the Houthis is convoluted. Culturally and religiously, Yemen is sufficiently fragmented to prevent any real unity among the population. The population is 65% Sunni, and 35% Shia. A key sect of Shia is Zaydism. It is described as Shia with Sunni characteristics. Not all Zaydis agree with each other because of many years of theological vacillation. Even though Houthis are rooted in Zaydism, some Zaydis reject the Houthis.
Zaydis have long been about 1/3rd of the population yet they have ruled for over a thousand years amidst an endless narrative of conflict. All of this contributes to their complex history since their founding in the 1990s when North and South Yemen merged. That is preceded by the Yemeni region’s wild history. The best term to describe the history of that region is chaos. Whatever the factors, there has been constant struggle between different groups for power and control for literally thousands of years. However, the recent rise of the Houthis seems like a departure from past trends. They have become perhaps the most powerful group in the country even though they have not maintained control of the central government. As a result, they have assumed a prominent position by virtue of their geographic location. Then their connections with Shia Islam set the stage for developing close relations with Iran. It has been a mutually beneficial relationship. Iran has built them up over the last 20 years and they have served to give Iran more political clout in the region.
Foreign Entanglements – A first question is over who is also helping the Houthis besides Iran. There is evidence the Russians helping out as advisers. Additional roles are possible. However, it turns out that China is siding with Saudi Arabia against the Houthis. China is heavily dependent on oil and gas from the mid-East, so they want as much stability as possible.
There is an array of apparent proxy wars between Saudi Arabia and Iran in Syria, Bahrain, and other countries besides Yemen. So, it is surprising that there would be such an expansive conflict between two countries fighting for regional dominance. It begs the question. What are their real plans?
In the case of Iran, a lot of attention has been focused on Hamas and Hezbollah while ignoring the Houthis. But the Houthis have don the most to give Iran more leverage in the region than the other proxies. The increased activity by the Houthis in the last couple months has brought renewed focus on their history and their role in the mid-East. We have learned they are not a bunch of sandal wearing tribesmen. Instead they have proven themselves to be tough fighters who occupy territory that makes them impossible to conquer. The United States has decided to give them a wide berth for now. However, as noted above, the CIA and probably others are still looking for ways to take the Houthis out of the fight. Given what the Houthis have accomplished to date, they will continue to pose a unique challenge even as Iran is losing ground at home.
So, yes, the Houthis will likely be Iran’s last stand. In fact, they will likely be able to fight on long after there is regime change in Iran. That is why we will continue to pay close attention to them.
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