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3 years since Houthis attacked UAE: Why the world needs to do more to tackle 'growing threat'
The UAE has made significant sacrifices, including the loss of Emirati lives, in support of the Yemeni people, providing ground and air support while actively countering the expansion of the Houthi insurgency
- PUBLISHED: Fri 17 Jan 2025, 8:14 AM UPDATED: Fri 17 Jan 2025, 9:55 PM
- By:
- Dr Mohammed Abdullah Al Ali
There are moments in a nation's history that are impossible to forget or overlook, as they mark critical turning points in its development. This is particularly true for a country like the UAE, where security and stability are among its defining characteristics. One such moment was January 17, 2022, when the Houthi group launched an unprecedented attack on UAE territory using drones and missiles - the first of its kind since the founding of the nation.
While the UAE successfully thwarted the attack, minimising damage to civilians and infrastructure, these attacks served as an early warning of what the world faces today. Three years later, the Houthis continue to threaten maritime security, recklessly endangering regional and global economies. Their unchecked escalation, in the absence of a unified and effective international response, has only exacerbated the risks they pose to regional stability and global security.
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The developments of the Yemeni crisis since 2015 have been a direct consequence of the Houthis' aggressive expansion, after seizing power by force. This led the legitimate Yemeni government to seek assistance from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to protect the Yemeni people from Houthi aggression.
In response, the UAE played a vital role in the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, acting in defence of the Yemeni people, responding to the legitimate government's call for assistance, working to end the Houthi militia's control over Yemen, combating terrorism from Al Qaeda and Daesh, and ensuring secure maritime navigation in the Gulf of Aden and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The UAE has made significant sacrifices, including the loss of Emirati lives, in support of the Yemeni people, providing ground and air support while actively countering the expansion of the Houthi insurgency.
Since the Houthi group's coup against the legitimate Yemeni government in Sana'a, its threat to regional security has extended far beyond Yemen's borders. Its actions, particularly the targeting of civilians, have escalated into a broader regional security crisis. This has become evident through the Houthis' continued aggression, launching missile and drone attacks against both military and commercial vessels belonging to major global and regional powers. These reckless actions have made the Houthis a symbol of the growing security chaos in the Middle East.
Since the January 17 attack, the UAE has responded with transparency, responsibility, diplomacy, and decisiveness in countering the Houthi threat. It has worked to mobilise international support to halt regional destabilisation through proxy forces and prevent further destruction of national economies. The UAE called for a UN Security Council meeting to condemn the attack, rallying broad global support. The international community stood firmly with the UAE's leadership, as the majority of nations worldwide condemned the Houthis' terrorist acts and affirmed the UAE's right to defend its people and territory. Many countries also expressed readiness to cooperate with Abu Dhabi in addressing the wider security threats facing the region. The strong backing from international organisations, major powers such as the US and the European Union, as well as Arab and global nations from both the East and the West, reaffirmed the UAE's global standing and the strength of its diplomatic relationships.
Given the current realities, the international community must move beyond mere condemnation and limited defensive and military cooperation. Instead, it is imperative to criminalise Houthi terrorism at the level of the Arab League and the UN Security Council, formally designating the Houthi militia as a terrorist organisation. Furthermore, regional cooperation must be strengthened through structured and effective mechanisms to curb the proliferation of drones and ballistic missiles in the region. This includes monitoring the movement of weapons and supplies through a comprehensive regional-international security framework that fosters dialogue, collective security efforts, and proactive measures to address shared threats, ensuring long-term regional stability.
The escalation of conflicts, rising regional threats, and attacks on key shipping routes in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, along with direct assaults on regional states, constitute clear violations of international law and pose a grave threat to global trade, security, and stability.
A significant part of the current regional crisis, dominated by the Houthi militia's growing threat, is a direct consequence of inconsistent and ambiguous international policies. Despite long-standing international recognition of the Houthis' extremist agenda, global powers have failed to implement a unified and effective strategy to counter their expansion.
International actors are well aware of the alliances and financial networks that have fuelled Houthi aggression, allowing the group to escalate to the point of directly challenging global powers and launching missile attacks on regional states without fear of accountability. The Houthis continue to perpetrate crimes against humanity and blatant violations of international law with impunity, underscoring the urgent need for a firm and coordinated international response.
Dr Mohammed Abdullah Al Ali is the CEO of TRENDS Research and Advisory.
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