Enigmatic Houthi commander Abdul Malik al-Houthi elevated amid terror group's Red Sea offensive

Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the elusive leader of the Iran-aligned Houthi terror group, has been elevated after his forces swept through Yemen's Red Sea coastline, tightening control over the Bab el-Mandeb strait and rattling Saudi Arabia. The offensive, accompanied by attacks on Saudi territory, positions the Houthis to potentially halt global trade through a vital shipping waterway. Al-Houthi has transformed his fighters, described as fierce mountain fighters often in sandals, into a force of tens of thousands with drones and ballistic missiles, surviving years of Saudi-led coalition airstrikes. A 2022 UN truce halted heavy fighting but failed to produce a lasting settlement. Al-Houthi remains enigmatic, rarely meeting foreign officials in person, appearing only via screen for security reasons. His military spokesman, Yahya Saree, has become the public face of the movement, delivering statements in a theatrical cadence. The civil war has killed tens of thousands and devastated Yemen's economy.