'Houthis' Operate on Behalf of Tehran... Designated Terrorist by the UN

The Horizon

The group harmed the government in northern Yemen and engaged in six wars.

A few years later, clashes began between them and Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Every now and then, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi works to inflame the situation.

They target the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait with missiles.

A woman saw three sheikhs sitting in the courtyard of her home.

She invited them to enter, but they refused until the head of the household returned.

She said, "I hope for the sake of love that you will deign to enter and be our guest."

When Alexander passed through a city where many kings were buried,

a young man, a descendant of those kings, lived in isolation among the graves.

There is a question raised among people in the Gulf: What is the Houthi group, which operates on behalf of Tehran, and why did the United Nations designate it as a terrorist organization, yet it continues to defy the international community?

We begin with its leader, Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi, leader of the group named "Ansar Allah" in Yemen. This Abdul-Malik is from Saada in the north. His father, Badr al-Din, was one of the most prominent scholars of the Zaydi sect, which is part of the Shia community.

The name "Houthi" is derived from Abdul-Malik al-Houthi. In reality, the movement was founded by him and his older brother, Hussein Badr al-Din al-Houthi, who established the "Believing Youth Movement."

This movement was established in the 1990s. It opposed the government at that time in northern Yemen, which had been ruled by Zaydis for a thousand years. Their rule ended following the 1962 revolution. A few years later, clashes began between the Houthis and the government of Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Although Saleh was Zaydi, the group clashed with Yemeni forces in 2004, who managed to kill Hussein bin Badr al-Houthi.

From here began the story of Abdul-Malik al-Houthi after his brother's death. He took over leadership of the movement and emerged as its actual leader. In 2006, he fought several battles against the Yemeni government, resulting in six wars.

The actual change occurred in 2014. At that time, Yemen was experiencing an economic and political crisis. The Houthis exploited this opportunity, along with the government's weakness and the emergence of thousands of protesters against the situation. Al-Houthi advanced militarily and entered the capital, Sana'a. His forces were stationed in the north on the border with Saudi Arabia, and they began harassing the Kingdom.

In 2015, Ali Abdullah Saleh formally requested Saudi intervention, as the group had taken control of the Yemeni Ministry of Defense. At that time, Saudi Arabia led a military coalition against the Houthis, and the war has continued since then.

Every now and then, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi worked to inflame the situation by provoking the coalition, declaring defiance of the Arab coalition in televised speeches. He would also move from place to place to avoid revealing his location.

Throughout those years, the group shelled Saudi Arabia with missiles and drones, targeting the Red Sea, and each time attempted to control Bab al-Mandab, an important waterway.

Alexander and the Wise Boy

Alexander the Great passed through a city where many kings were buried. He asked its people: "Is there anyone left from their lineage?"

They informed him that a young man, a descendant of those kings, lived in isolation among the graves, neither sitting with people nor mixing with them.

Alexander summoned him and asked him why he resided in the cemeteries instead of living among people.

The young man replied that he was searching for something he had failed to find during all the time he spent there.

He added: "I reside among the dead to distinguish the bones of kings from the bones of their slaves, but I found them identical; I cannot tell them apart."

Alexander offered to accompany him and restore the honor of his ancestors and their status among people. The young man replied that he had great ambition, but he wanted Alexander to grant him four wishes.

Alexander asked what they were. He said: "A life without death, youth without old age, wealth without poverty, and happiness untainted by sorrow."

Alexander fell silent before him, as none of these demands could be fulfilled by the greatest of conquerors.

The young man said: "Since you do not possess them, let me search for them with the One who does."

At that point, Alexander acknowledged the wisdom of the young man, saying that he had never seen anyone as wise as him.

Love Unites Wealth and Success in One Home

An elderly woman stepped out of her house and saw three elderly men with white beards sitting in her courtyard. She did not know them, but she said, “I don’t think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come inside to eat.” One of them asked, “Is the head of the household present?”

She replied, “No, he is outside.” They all responded together, “Then we cannot come in.”

When her husband returned, she told him what had happened. He asked, “Where are they?” She said, “In the courtyard.”

He told her, “Go to them and invite them to come in.” The woman went out and invited them inside. They replied, “We do not enter a house together.”

She asked, “Why?” One of them explained, saying, “This is Wealth” (pointing to one of them), “this is Success, and I am Love.”

He added, “Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want to enter your home.”

The woman went in and told her husband what had been said. Overcome with joy, he said, “What a wonderful idea! Since it’s like that, let’s invite Wealth. Let him come in and fill our home with riches.”

His wife disagreed, saying, “Dear, why don’t we invite Success instead?” All of this was overheard by their daughter-in-law, who was standing in one corner of the house. She quickly offered her suggestion: “Isn’t it better if we invite Love? Then our home will be filled with love.”

The husband said, “Let’s follow our daughter-in-law’s advice. Go out and invite Love to be our guest.”

The woman went out and asked the three elderly men, “Which one of you is Love? Please come in to be our guest.”

Love stood up and began walking toward the house. The other two also stood up and followed him, much to her surprise. She asked Wealth and Success, “I invited only Love. Why are you coming in with him?”

The two elders replied, “If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two would have stayed outside. But because you invited Love, wherever he goes, we go with him. Wherever Love is, there is also wealth and success.”