Al-Fassel | 2025-12-04

Reliance on external support has become painfully clear to the Houthis, particularly in their long-standing partnership with Iran.

Cracks in this alliance are widening, revealing the Houthis' vulnerability.

Iran's financial aid, military supply chains and ideological backing have been crucial to sustaining the Houthis' operations in Yemen.

But Iran itself faces mounting struggles including crippling economic sanctions, domestic protests and waning influence in the region.

The nuclear deal has fallen apart, sanctions have tightened and Iran's focus has shifted to its confrontation with Israel.

These pressures have forced Iran to scale back its support for the Houthis, leaving behind a dwindling flow of resources and military guidance.

Furthermore, regional leaders, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are intensifying their role in the region's geopolitics.

They are also conducting extensive military drills to develop countermeasures against Houthi drones and missile tactics.

With their shield eroded, the Houthis are isolated and vulnerable.

The collapse of Houthi leadership following the Israeli strike has led to fraction within their ranks.

Commanders are now resorting to fragmented, self-serving actions rather than cohesive decision-making.

Their image, once predicated on resilience in the face of hardships, now withers in the absence of Iranian backing.

The oppressive rule that betrayed revolutionary ideals

The Houthis have abandoned the "revolutionary ideologies" that once drew support locally.

Their promise of liberation has devolved into an authoritarian regime ruled by fear, characterized by paranoia and repression.

The courts under their control now serve as political tools, punishing opposition and branding dissenters as foreign spies.

Communities under Houthi control endure arbitrary arrests, disappearances and extrajudicial trials.

Former allies such as journalists and community leaders suffer from oppressive crackdowns, silencing calls for justice and accountability.

Their ideals of resistance and sovereignty have turned into hollow rhetoric, fueling discontent and distrust among their own base.

Beyond local oppression, their actions threaten to drag Yemen further into chaos, undermining efforts for national stability.

Even Iran, which originally championed the Houthis as partners, now views them as liability.

The Houthis' internal collapse is a sharp contrast to the movement they claimed to represent.

Their leaders, increasingly driven by paranoia and self-interest, the Houthis have lost legitimacy, relying on smuggling, taxation and coercion instead of governance by conviction.

This shift has left the population suffering under a leadership struggling to survive.

The Houthis' vulnerability is undeniable, driven by the double impact of Iran's faltering support and their own oppressive rule.

Yemen's devastation remains a shared responsibility between Iran and the Houthis.

For Yemen to achieve a brighter future, the collapse of the Houthis must lead to the establishment of an inclusive, globally supported order.

An order that prioritizes stability and reconciliation over fear and division.