The Houthi movement, formally recognized as Ansar Allah or 'helpers of God,' originated in the 1990s within the northern highlands of Yemen. The group is rooted in Zaydism, a minority branch of Shia Islam. Following the death of the movement's founder, Hussein al-Houthi, during the early stages of a series of conflicts with the Yemeni government that spanned from 2004 to 2010, leadership transitioned to his brother, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.

In the context of international relations, the group has drawn criticism from the United States. Following reports of Houthi-led attacks targeting airports in Saudi Arabia, former US President Donald Trump addressed the group's activities during a press engagement. When questioned about his administration's potential response to these regional tensions, Trump described the Houthis as 'misbehaving very badly' and stated that their actions were 'no good.'

While the provided reports detail the group's historical origins and recent US executive commentary, they do not provide specific details regarding the current strategic objectives of the Houthis or the specific military capabilities involved in the attacks on Saudi airports. The reporting focuses primarily on the group's identity and the rhetorical stance taken by the former US president.