The Legitimacy Trap: How International Institutions Sustain the Houthis' Hold on Yemen
For years, the prevailing assumption was that the Houthis' survival depended on battlefield victories and Iranian support. However, there is a third critical factor: the weaponization of international engagement.
Engagement without accountability strengthens rather than moderates Houthi behavior, creating a pattern that continues to repeat itself.
On September 2, 2025, the chief of mission for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) met with Houthi Foreign Ministry official Ismail al-Mutawakkil in Sanaa, four days after Israeli airstrikes killed Ahmed al-Rahawi and 12 other Houthi cabinet members in Yemen.
The ICRC chief offered condolences for the “crime committed by the Zionist entity,” expressed “solidarity” with Yemen, and promised the ICRC’s plans to provide assistance were unchanged, according to the Houthi outlet Saba.
Author's summary: International engagement sustains Houthis' hold on Yemen.
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