The US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on 28 February, targeting its key military and naval forces and killing some of the country's top leaders, including the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Following Khamenei's death, the Middle East has been plunged into a wider and renewed military confrontation after Iran launched attacks on US bases in Gulf countries. However, amid the ongoing tensions, the one country that has remained surprisingly quiet is Yemen.
According to an Al Jazeera report, the Houthis, an Iran-allied de facto authority in the northwestern part of Yemen, have restricted their support for Tehran to rhetoric and a mass protest denouncing the strikes. The same group has made repeated attacks on US and Israeli targets since the Israel-Gaza war began in 2023.
Houthis unlikely to be involved in US-Israel, Iran war?
The report suggests that while it is uncertain whether the Houthis will continue to remain detached from the conflict, analysts say that the rebel group's involvement is still plausible, with the current restraint appearing to be part of a strategy of patience.
The Houthis could still enter the conflict, potentially through a gradual escalation of their involvement, says Luca Nevola, a senior analyst for Yemen and the Gulf at the ACLED conflict monitor. At this stage, he said, the group’s main priority appears to be avoiding direct retaliation from the US or Israel.
Elaborating further, the analyst said that the Houthis are likely to resume attacks if they are drawn into the conflict directly, either through US or Israeli strikes or through a renewed domestic advance by anti-Houthi forces in Yemen.
Houthis extend support to Iran
Earlier this week, Houthi chief Abdel-Malik al-Houthi said that Yemen stands clearly with Iran and the Muslim Iranian people. He also warned that the group is prepared for possible military escalation, suggesting that its involvement in the conflict could happen at any time, depending on how the situation develops.
According to a Yemeni political commentator, the Houthis will enter the war if Tehran asks them to. Speaking to Al Jazeera, the commentator added that Tehran does not want to use all of its cards at once and wants to save the group for the coming phase.
Israeli strikes killed several Houthi officials in 2025
In August 2025, Israeli strikes killed as many as 12 high-ranking Houthi government officials, including Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and chief of staff Mohammed al-Ghumari, in airstrikes in Sanaa. The casualties were among the most severe the group has suffered during its confrontation with the US and Israel. The incident, along with several other attacks carried out last year, has left the Houthis more cautious about risking a heavy aerial campaign on areas under their control.
