Houthi Attacks on Ships in the Red Sea: Understanding the Motives

The Houthi rebels in Yemen, aligned with Iran but pursuing their own interests, have been conducting missile and drone attacks on ships in the Red Sea, connecting their actions to the Israeli-Hamas conflict. Rooted in Zaydi Islam, their leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi seeks to challenge world powers and opposes foreign influence in Yemen. While they genuinely support the Palestinian cause, their attacks also serve their broader ideological purpose of aligning with Iran against the U.S. and Israel, boosting their popularity in Yemen amidst the ongoing humanitarian crisis.