The Yemeni government has approved a draft of a new law to declare the Houthis a terrorist organization. It is proposed to ban the activities of the organization and financial support to it under this Act. However, constitutional and legislative processes have to be completed to implement it. This decision has come at a time when the Houthis attacked the King Khalid International Airport in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh. According to the Yemeni government statement, 12 people were killed and 309 people were injured in this attack. Many countries have condemned the attack. Even after this, the Houthis threatened to continue with more attacks on Saudi Arabia.

A cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shaya al-Zindani was held in Yemen’s temporary capital of Aden on Sunday, where the draft law was presented. While approving it, the Cabinet directed the officials to complete the necessary constitutional and legal procedures for the implementation of the law. The government said its goal was to restore government control over the country’s entire territory and end the Houthi hold. The government has also accused the Houthi movement of receiving financial aid and instructions from Iran. Prime Minister Al-Zindani asked government departments to prepare in advance rather than merely react to incidents. He directed to strengthen the preparations of army, military units, security forces and pro-government collective resistance forces and meet their needs.

When did the Houthi movement begin?

The Houthi movement started in Yemen in the 1990s. The movement is associated with the Zaidi branch of Shia Islam. Badr al-Din al-Houthi and his son Husayn al-Houthi played an important role in its early development. In 2004, Hussein died in fighting with the Yemeni government. After this, Abdul Malik Al-Houthi took over the command of the organization. In 2014, the Houthis captured Yemen’s capital, Sana’a. After this, the conflict intensified in the country and tensions also increased at the international level.

How many countries have declared the Houthis a terrorist organization?

The Houthis have been declared a terrorist organization by 9 countries in the world, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iraq, Malaysia, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Costa Rica. The US first banned it in January 2021 and designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in March 2025 after several changes. In 2024, Australia, New Zealand and Canada also included it in the list of terrorist organizations. In February 2022, the United Nations deemed it a terrorist group and imposed strict arms and financial sanctions on it.