Shooting missiles toward Israel and attacking ships sailing through the Red Sea, Yemen’s Houthi militia has been gaining popularity across the Middle East and building regional clout that could help expand its power at home, analysts say.
In a major escalation of Houthi actions against Israel, the Iran-backed militia hit a Norwegian tanker on Monday with a cruise missile — one of its first successful strikes after weeks of threats, although no casualties were reported. The Houthis have also attempted missile and drone attacks on southern Israel, but those were thwarted. Last month, they hijacked a commercial ship.
Across the Middle East, where the war in the Gaza Strip has left citizens seething with anger at Israel and the United States — and in some cases, at their own American-backed governments — people have hailed the Houthis as one of the only regional forces willing to challenge Israel with more than harsh words.
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