Three Houthi commanders will be designated "Global Terrorists" by the outgoing Trump administration on January 19, Washington announced this week.
Notorious for their individual roles in hindering the peace process and choreographing military campaigns and offensives that have resulted in significant civilian loss of life and the targeting of vital institutions in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, the trio was also sanctioned by the UN Security Council after the Houthi takeover of Sanaa in 2014.
US sanctions on Abdulmalik Al Houthi, his brother Abd Al Khaliq Badr Al Din Al Houthi and Abdullah Yahya Al Hakim in conjunction with the UN move cite their use of “violence and other means, [to] undermine the political process in Yemen and obstruct the implementation of its political transition.”
Here is a look at who the three men are, and the roles they played in the Yemeni conflict leading up to their classification as Global Terrorists.
Abdulmalik Al Houthi
Abdulmalik Al Houthi, brother of the Houthi movement's founder Hossein Al Houthi, was a key player in building the movement from a small group of Zaydi sect members to a force that has taken over large parts of Yemen.
Abdulmalik is known for making long-winded speeches that stretch well over an hour, in an unsuccessful attempt to mimic Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Experts say Hezbollah is an 'inspiration' to the Houthis.
Under Abdulmalik's guerrilla command, the Houthis overtook Sanaa in 2015, killed on-again-off-again Houthi-allied president Ali Abdullah Saleh and capitalised on Iranian and Iran-backed Hezbollah military know-how that made them the rampantly corrupt and violent group it is today.
Abd Al Khaliq Badr Al Din Al Houthi
Military commander of the Houthi movement, Abd Al Khaliq Badr Al Din Al Houthi was born in 1984 and is known as Abu Younes (father of Younes). He is one of eight brothers including Houthi founder Hossein and current leader Abdulmalik Al Houthi.
He was blacklisted and sanctioned by the UN on November 7, 2014 and by the US the following year.
Rumours of his death in an air strike circulated in January 2020, but remain unsubstantiated.
Forces loyal to the Saudi-led coalition said they had captured the military commander in 2015 but the Houthis did not confirm those claims.
The Yemeni government says Abd Al Khaliq played a pivotal role in the takeover of Sanaa.
The US believes he marshalled Houthi fighters wearing Yemeni military fatigues in deadly attacks on several locations during the siege on Sadah's Dammaj in 2013, blowing up a school for teaching Quran.
He also had a role in moving weapons and allegedly ordering an attack against diplomatic institutions, according to the US state department.
Abdullah Yahya Al Hakim
The US Treasury Department says Al Hakim was “implicated” in the 2015 coup against President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi.
Washington claims Al Hakim “met with military and security commanders, tribal chieftains and leading partisan figures loyal to former President [Ali Abdullah] Saleh," whose son Ahmed Saleh, is also a Houthi loyalist, and was sanctioned by the US.
He is also known for his role in the takeover of Yemen’s Amran governorate that killed at least 42 people, where he led and made crucial decisions in the conflicts there.
Al Hakim is also responsible for controlling “all routes” in and out of the Houthi-run capital of Sanaa, thereby having a major impact on imports and aid which millions of Yemenis rely on.
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
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The specs
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Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
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