Death of Senior Commanders Leaves Houthis in Disarray

Houthi gunmen in Sanaa rally, EPA
Houthi gunmen in Sanaa rally, EPA
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Death of Senior Commanders Leaves Houthis in Disarray

Houthi gunmen in Sanaa rally, EPA
Houthi gunmen in Sanaa rally, EPA

Houthi militias suffered heavy losses in troops and equipment during a week of fierce clashes with pro-government Yemeni army forces backed by Saudi-led Arab Coalition air strikes, including the loss of more than 10 field commanders.

Houthi losses come amidst a sweeping state of panic among coup ranks on the broad progress of Yemeni army forces and pro-government Popular Resistance forces on various fronts.

Coalition airstrikes have played a major role in depleting coup resources, artillery and troops.

While Yemeni military sources estimated that over 200 Houthi militiamen were killed on various fronts within a week, other local sources reported that the group was taking its human losses more discreetly, fearing that such news might raise reluctance of new recruits to join battle.

Senior Houthi commander Nasser al-Qubari, who was led major missile operations and was awarded the rank of brigadier general among coup ranks, was killed in the wake of a coalition airstrike targeting several of his aides in a north Saada hideout, north-west of the country.

Qubari previously headed missions that launched rocket attacks against Saudi territory.

Qubari, dubbed is Abu Salah, defected from the Yemeni army.

The late commander headed a militia team who is also responsible for storming Yemen's Al-Yawm channel building—a media outlet closely affiliated with the late President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s General People’s Congress party-- and detaining over 40 crew members, GPC sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Qubari’s death came as a shock to Houthis, who were even more alarmed by the massive loss of field commanders in charge of leading rapid intervention forces.

Another Houthi senior commander dubbed Abu Mekdad was moved to the front lines, in a decision to support a faltering front, said intelligence sources in Sanaa.

Abu Mekdad is one of the insurgency’s top ideologues who received military training in Iran and Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the Houthi militia received another blow to its rank of leaders with the death of senior leader Mansur al-Sa'adi.

Saadi, who is known as Abu Sajjad, is one of the most prominent militia leaders who has received extensive training and sectarian training in Iran.

He is also a member of the group responsible for overseeing smuggling of Iranian weapons across the Yemeni coast.

The militia also lost one of its most prominent ideological leaders in the Midi front north-west of the Hajjah province during the battle sweeps which liberated the city.



Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
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Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 

As the Houthi threat to international shipping grows ever more serious - most recently with the sinking of two Greek vessels, killing three sailors and leaving twelve missing - there has been little substantial reaction from major world powers. The United States, Germany’s foreign minister, and the UN envoy to Yemen were among the few to voice concern and call for de-escalation.

While Houthi attacks intensify across the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, insurance premiums for commercial ships in these waters have surged to as much as 1% of a vessel’s value, according to leading global insurers. This underscores the scale of the risk and the declining confidence in protecting this vital maritime corridor.

The two assaults targeted the cargo ships Magic Seas and True Confidence between Sunday and Tuesday last week. According to the EU naval mission Aspides, tasked with safeguarding Red Sea navigation, the attacks killed at least three sailors, wounded others, and left a dozen unaccounted for.

The strike on the Liberian-flagged Greek-operated True Confidence marked a dangerous escalation. The Houthis claimed responsibility, saying they used an explosive-laden drone boat and six ballistic and cruise missiles. They alleged the ship was heading to Israel’s port of Eilat, though independent verification was lacking.

Despite the scale of the violence, most global capitals limited their responses to brief statements. Only the US ambassador to the UN issued a pointed condemnation, along with remarks from a State Department spokesperson and a statement by UN envoy Hans Grundberg.

The US denounced the attacks as “terrorist and unjustified,” describing them as evidence of the “ongoing threat posed by Iranian-backed Houthis to regional maritime security and commerce.” The US ambassador stressed Washington’s commitment to denying the Houthis resources to fund such operations and called on the UN Security Council to remove obstacles blocking its expert monitoring teams in Yemen.

The State Department likewise condemned the attacks as a threat to the freedom of navigation and economic stability. “We will continue to take necessary steps to protect commercial shipping,” the statement warned, urging the broader international community to condemn the Houthis’ actions.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Iran must use its influence to halt Houthi attacks. Speaking in Vienna alongside his Israeli and Austrian counterparts, he declared: “We strongly condemn these attacks and expect Iran to act to stop them.”

UN envoy Grundberg expressed deep concern about the sinking of True Confidence, warning of the humanitarian and environmental consequences of such operations, which violate international law and Security Council Resolution 2722. He urged the Houthis to provide sustainable guarantees to end attacks and build on prior understandings with the United States.

Oman had brokered a limited agreement last May under which the Houthis pledged to stop targeting American ships in return for a suspension of broad US-led military action - though the deal excluded Israel.

A Dangerous Precedent

Yemeni officials say the tepid reactions from much of the world send the Houthis the wrong message, reinforcing their sense of impunity. On Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi boasted in his weekly address about sinking the vessels, calling it a “clear lesson” to any shipping company doing business with Israel.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have carried out over 150 attacks, disrupting global trade flows through the Red Sea. Their operations have sunk British and Greek ships and damaged many more, including hijacking the Galaxy Leader and holding its crew for over a year.