From Al Jazeera · Alia Chughtai,Abubakr Al-Shamahi · · 2m
Yemen: 10 years of shifting control
Yemen's map shows 10 years of changing control between Houthis and government forces.
In brief
Yemen's map shows 10 years of changing control between Houthis and government forces. Yemen's government and Houthis have fought for control of the country for 10 years, with shifting alliances and no clear winner. Originally reported by Al Jazeera.
Houthis seize Sanaa
The Houthi armed group, also known as Ansar Allah, seized the capital Sanaa on September 21, 2014, after advancing south from their heartland of Saada in northern Yemen.
Houthis mobilize for power
The Iran-allied group used antigovernment grievances to gain support after July 2014 fuel subsidy cuts triggered anger.
Houthis and Saleh capture Sanaa
The Houthis mobilised protests demanding the reversal of the government’s decisions, and subsequently its resignation. They allied with forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, which helped them capture military positions and state institutions.
Hadi flees to Riyadh
Then-President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi fled to Aden in February 2015. When forces aligned with the Houthis and Saleh advanced towards the southern port city, Hadi took refuge in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
Saudi-led coalition intervenes
In March 2015, Saudi Arabia launched a military intervention to restore his internationally recognised government.
2016: Yemen split
By late 2016, two years after the Houthis seized Sanaa, Yemen was split into rival zones of control.
2017: Houthi fracture
The December 2017 fracture left the Houthis, a primarily Zaidi Shia group, in sole charge of much of northwestern Yemen, including Sanaa and the port city of Hodeidah.
2019: Stalemate
The Houthis continued to hold Sanaa and much of the northwestern highlands. Government-aligned forces held extensive territory across the south and the east while AQAP maintained pockets of influence.
2022: STC gains ground
The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), which seized Aden in 2019, held territory separately from government forces. Despite officially being part of the anti-Houthi, Saudi-led coalition, the STC fought the government several times.
2025: Houthi control
By 2025, the Houthis had held Sanaa and most of Yemen’s northwest continuously for more than a decade.
2026: Escalation
In early September, Houthi forces attacked west of Taiz in an attempt to cut road access to the Red Sea coast.
2026: Humanitarian crisis
By September 25, nearly 130,000 people, including 71,000 children, had been displaced in three weeks, according to UNICEF.
The big picture
Yemen's government and Houthis have fought for control of the country for 10 years, with shifting alliances and no clear winner.
