“Recent attacks on the Houthis exposed serious intelligence vulnerabilities and caused significant human and material losses, eroding the group’s deterrent image. This weakening of credibility has intensified calls-particularly from the Yemeni legitimacy camp-for a ground offensive against the militia. ”

Mohammed Fawzi (South24 Center) 

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Since November 2023, the Houthi militia has significantly escalated its operations under what they call the “Support and Backing Front” for the Gaza Strip. During this escalation, the Houthis launched attacks on dozens of targets across the Red Sea region and even inside Israel. 

Now, following a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, it is evident that the outcomes of the Houthis’ escalation revolve around several key trends. These include substantial losses and organizational confusion, largely due to operation conducted by the United States, Britain, and Israel, as well as negative repercussions for Yemen’s interior and infrastructure in areas controlled by the Group. On the other side, the Houthis have strengthened their position within the Iranian axis, positioning themselves as one of Tehran’s key assets in any future escalation.

As mentioned earlier, the attacks that the Houthis have faced-particularly the recent Israeli strikes- have resulted in significant leadership losses, casualties, and the destruction of key infrastructure. These developments raise important questions about the Houthis’ plan for internal restructuring and their strategic priorities in the near and medium term. This paper will explore their issues in more detail.

First: Motives for Restructuring

In military and security studies, “restructuring” typically refers to comprehensive and a qualitative process of reorganizing an organization’s military, security, and political apparatus in response to new challenges or in the aftermath of significant losses.

In the Houthi case, several key factors appear to motivate the group’s current restructuring efforts: 

1-Human Losses Sustained by the Houthis: During the recent escalation, whether through clashes with Britain and United States or as a result of Israeli strikes; the Houthi militia suffered significant qualitative losses. These includes the assassination of multiple senior figures in the unrecognized Houthi government and other officials in the Houthi-controlled areas, notably the head of the Houthi government Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser Al-Rahawi, along with ten other officials, following an Israeli strike in early September 2025. The group’s chief of staff and military commander, Mohammed Abdulkarim Al-Ghamari, was also killed.

Beyond leadership losses, there were substantial casualties among lower ranks. U.S. estimates put total Houthi losses at around 650 fighters, while Houthi source claimed roughly 280 deaths, claiming many were civilians. Despite the information blackout imposed by the group; it is clear the Houthis suffered serious human losses. Creating disruption and leadership vacuum.

2. Material Losses and Damage to Infrastructure: Although the Houthis keep tight control over war time information, multiple indicators point to the extensive damage to their military and civilian infrastructure.

In this context, infrastructure refers to assets-often underground or underwater-related to transportation, power, sewage, and other essential facilities, as well as military installations.

U.S., British, and Israeli operations have focused on targeting the Houthis’ critical infrastructure. Numerous command centers, logistical hubs, missile launch platforms, drone manufacturing sites, and weapons depots were struck. Additionally, Sana’a Airport and several civilian aircraft seized by the Houthis after their coup were damaged, along with Hodeida Port, energy facilities, and cement plants.

3.Preserving Internal Deterrence: Houthis’ internal deterrence system traditionally relied on: Maintaining a narrative of secrecy and security surrounding their military infrastructure. Shifting military confrontations to peripheral governorates such as Marib, Al-Jawf, Taiz, and Hodeidah to preserve internal stability in core areas like Saada, Sana’a, and Dhamar.

However, recent attacks on the Houthis exposed serious intelligence vulnerabilities and caused significant human and material losses, eroding the group’s deterrent image. This weakening of credibility has intensified calls-particularly from the Yemeni legitimacy camp-for a ground offensive against the militia. The exposure of internal fragility and intelligence penetration has revealed that much of the Houthis’ deterrence narrative based on propaganda. This realization has fueled efforts to restore internal cohesion, rebuild deterrence, and fill emerging power vacuums.

4. Strengthening Ties Within the Iranian Axis: The Houthi militia has evolved into one of Iran’s most important regional proxies under Tehran’s “proxy reliance” strategy.

Since 2014, Iran has invested heavily in the Houthis, through financial, logistical, and military support, viewing Yemen as a strategically vital foothold.

During the latest escalation, the Houthis proved their value to Iran as a pressure tool against international powers, particularly by disrupting global shipping in the Red Sea and projecting regional influence through asymmetric warfare. While other Iranian-backed groups in the region have been weakened, the Houthis have retained significant operational capacity.

Consequently, the group is now working to recover from recent setbacks, close intelligence gaps, restore leadership stability, and reinforce its significant role in Iran’s regional strategy-ensuring continued support from Tehran.

With the Gaza ceasefire excluding any Israeli commitments regarding the Houthis or the Yemeni theater, the prospect of renewed Israeli strikes against Houthi positions is still open. 

Second: Indicators of the Houthi Militia’s Restructuring Process

In recent months, a series of developments suggest the Houthis are actively restructuring their organization to address the aftermath of the escalation and prepare for future confrontations.

1- New Directives from the Houthi Leadership: Reports indicate that Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi, the militia leader, has initiated a comprehensive internal restructuring project to consolidate control, curb internal rivalries over money and influence and reassert decision-making within the core Houthi family network.

2- Efforts to fill the leadership vacuum: In response to the assassination of senior political and military figures, the Houthi have moved to restore command continuity.

Recent appointments include Ahmed Mohammad Miftah as head of the (unrecognized) Houthi government and Youssef Al-Madani as chief of staff, replacing the slain Mohammed Al-Ghamari. These moves reflect a drive to stabilize governance and reestablish operational coherence. 

3- Managing Internal Division and Power Struggles: The loss of senior officials has worsened the internal tension, particularly between Houthi’s Interior Minister Abdulkarim Al-Houthi and Security Chief Abdulhakim al-Khaiwani. Reports suggest that confusion within Al-Khaiwani’s security service and his failure to prevent recent intelligence breaches have been leveraged by the Houthi family faction to sideline him. Ali Hussein Al-Houthi appears poised to assume full control of the militia’s intelligence and security apparatus. Signaling a consolidation of authority within the Houthi clan.

4- Responding to Intelligence Exposure: The recent conflict revealed notable intelligence vulnerabilities. In response, the Houthis have reportedly established new communication networks using Russian and Chinese technologies while reducing dependence on Iranian systems. The group has also enhanced internal surveillance and overhauled its security measures including replacing personal protection teams, rotating vehicles and residences of senior leaders, restricting leader mobility and in-person meetings, and reducing escort personnel and adopting stricter camouflage protocols.

Additionally, the group is said to be merging five separate security agencies under a single umbrella and granting regional military zones greater autonomy to prevent further breaches and ease the burden on the central command in Sanaa.

Iran appears deeply involved in this restructuring process. Reports indicate that since June 2025, Tehran has issued direct guidance urging the Houthis to streamline their organizational structure, reduce factional overlap, and reinforce loyalty to Iran’s leadership. These steps align with Tehran’s broader goal of consolidating control over its proxy networks and preserving the Houthis’ strategic utility in regional conflicts.

Overall, all the previous data and indicators reveal a Houthi trend toward adopting a broad internal restructuring process. This trend includes seeking to close intelligence gaps considering what the recent war revealed of a relative penetration process. In addition to increasing security for Houthi leaders, looking to rehabilitate infrastructure that was destroyed or damaged because of the escalation, and dealing with the crisis of internal divisions. This is a path that primarily aims to maintain organizational cohesion, restore lost deterrence especially at the internal Yemeni level, as well as prepare for any new escalation scenarios.