Armed with his rebellious and charismatic personality, and inspired by the revolutionary ideas of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and the organizational strategies of Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah, al-Houthi began to radicalize a growing number of Zaydi youth.
Yemen’s central authority was alarmed in 2003 by Houthi activities when al-Houthi’s followers began to shout “Death to America” inside and outside the capital city’s grand mosque after Friday prayers.