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The shock collapse of Bashar Al-Assad's regime will have far-reaching regional consequences, especially for the so-called 'Axis of Resistance' composed ofÌýIran and its allies, including the Houthis in Yemen.

The Houthi leadership's handling of Assad's ousting has so far been markedly cautious, with the group avoiding issuing any clear comments regarding his overthrow.

Moreover, some Houthi leaders have taken the step of hinting at their disagreements with the toppled former Syrian president.

"What is happening in Syria directly serves the interests of Zion, and we suggested Sanaa be given the role of mediator, but they thought we were concerned about Bashar, even though everyone knew of our disagreements with him," Houthi leader Hussein al-Ezzi on X on 8 December.Ìý

Maybe most worrying for the Houthis is the fact that they appear to be firmly in Israel's sights, especially given recent reports revealing that a major attack on the group is being considered in response to their continued missile and drone attacks on Israel and Israel-bound ships.

On 8 December, for example, Israel's state-owned Kan 11 TV channel cited a senior Israeli official stating that the army was preparing to deliver its strongest strike yet on Yemen.Ìý

The official indicated that unlike Iraqi militias, which have reduced their attacks on Israel, and despite the US-UK strikes on Yemen, the Houthis were continuing to launch missiles, which called for a "more painful message" to be sent.

On Monday, the Houthis fired aÌý‘Palestine 2’ missile at central Israel, triggering air sirens in Tel Aviv. The same day, another said Israel was planning to strike Yemen to stop such attacks.

But it is not only Assad's fall that is increasing the apprehension of the Houthis. The 'Axis of Resistance' has suffered huge blows in Lebanon and Syria, and Iran has also been targeted by Israeli strikes - with the strong possibility of further attacks on the way. This is likely to impact the support Iran can extend to its allies and militias in the Arab region.

Another cause for concern is the strengthening US stance, which is now demanding an end to the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Arabian Sea. US President Joe Biden recently stated to Congress that the attacks from Yemen threatened the safety of American forces, commercial vessels, and their crews, as well as regional political and economic stability and the rights of maritime navigation.

He said the continuing attacks could further destabilise the region and threaten the strategic interests of the US.

Is this the end of the 'Axis of Resistance'?

Yemeni political researcher Adnan Hashem toldÌýAl-Araby Al-Jadeed, °®Âþµº'sÌýArabic-language sister edition,Ìýthat Assad's fall and developments in Syria may spell the end of the 'Axis of Resistance', or at the very least, deal it a severe strategic blow.

This should worry the Houthis, he says, and prompt them to reconsider their strategy, including the current opportunities on the table for peace in Yemen, which may not remain in the future.

Hashem noted that the Assad regime hadn't maintained strong ties with the Houthis in recent years, and had appeared in fact to have recognised the internationally-recognised Yemeni government.

This development contrasted with previous years. The Assad regime had been among the first to support the Houthi group's takeover in Yemen, handing the Yemeni embassy in Damascus to the group, welcoming its ambassador, and recognising it as the ruling authority. Military and security cooperation and intelligence sharing between Syria and the Houthi authorities in Yemen continued during this time.

However, in October 2023, the Assad regime expelled the Houthi ambassador in Damascus, Abdullah Sabri, along with his embassy staff and the group's security attachés, despite Syria's former support.

Hashem predicted that the Houthis would be negatively impacted by Assad's fall. Iran would be reassessing its position regarding the Axis, he added, and most of its allies would be reevaluating their ties with Iran.

Yemeni journalist Salman Al-Maqrami highlighted the interconnected nature of the region, especially concerning geopolitical shifts such as the fall of Assad and the victory of the revolution in Syria.

He pointed out that Iran's intervention in Syria on Assad's side, and its decision to protect the regime had led, alongside other factors, to the Houthi takeover of Sanaa at the same time.

"The fall of Aleppo in 2016, followed by the loss [of the opposition's control] of other provinces and cities extending to the western Aleppo countryside in 2020, resulted in Iran and Hezbollah turning their focus onto the conflict in Yemen, which led to the Houthis shifting from a defensive position to an offensive one," he explains.

He said that this support had been decisive - alongside other factors like the Stockholm Agreement - in leading to the fall of Marib and other Yemeni provinces, with the Houthi offensive continuing until vast areas had been lost by the internationally-recognised government, including southern Hodeidah and parts of Al-Jawf province.

For this reason, he believes "the Syrian revolution's victory will severely weaken the Houthis".

He added that the Houthis' centre of gravity had never been purely local, but was tied to Iran, Hezbollah, the Syrian regime, and the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in Iraq. The loss of these allies means that for the first time, the Houthis depend on a "defanged ally" that has been stripped of its capabilities, at least for the time being.

Maqrami points out that "so far, the Houthis haven't dared issue a statement of support even mentioning the Syrian government or the Syrian regime or Assad".

While they have launched harsh attacks on Syrian rebels, accusing them of terrorism, takfir, slaughter, betrayal and treason, they have avoided mentioning the regime, he adds, with one minor exception.

However, Maqrami says that all the "Houthis' bravado has vanished". Despite this, he continues, Abdul Malik Al-Houthi, the leader of the group, has made no concessions, and it seems that "like Assad" he is wasting the window of time he has to reach a peaceful resolution in Yemen.

Maqrami believes that another issue facing the Houthis is the "scenes of people rising up in several areas of Syria, like Damascus and other provinces, and of the release of detainees from prisons, which may encourage people [in Yemen] to take action too".

He says the Houthis oversee many prisons, which could spark a widescale popular backlash bringing in multiple segments of the population in light of Yemenis having seen what is happening in Syria.

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition. To read the original article click

Translated by Rose ChackoÌý Ìý

This article is taken from our Arabic sister publication, Al-Araby Al Jadeed and mirrors the source's original editorial guidelines and reporting policies. Any requests for correction or comment will be forwarded to the original authorsÌýand editors.

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