Overview

Yusuf al-Madani is the U.S.- and U.N.-designated commander of the Houthi’s Fifth Military Region.“Security Council 2140 Sanctions Committee Adds Three Entries to Its Sanctions List,” United Nations Security Council, November 9, 2021, https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/sc14695.doc.htm; “Treasury Sanctions Senior Houthi Military Official Overseeing Group’s Offensive Operations,” U.S. Department of Treasury, May 20, 2021, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0191. Given al-Madani’s role in exacerbating Yemen’s civil war, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of State designated al-Madani as a Specially Designated National (SDN) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), respectively on May 20, 2021.“Treasury Sanctions Senior Houthi Military Official Overseeing Group’s Offensive Operations,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 20, 2021, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0191.

During al-Madani’s youth, he allegedly studied under the Houthi cleric Majd al-Din al-Muayyad in Saada Governorate. However, al-Madani sought a more powerful leadership role and later joined Hussein al-Houthi’s “Al Shabab al-Mu’min” Brigades—the precursor to the Houthi group. Al-Madani quickly rose through the ranks, and in 2002, he was sent to Iran where he received extensive military training with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). A year later, al-Madani returned to Yemen, where he supervised the training of Houthi troops within Yemen while also sending Houthi fighters to IRGC camps in Iran and Syria.“YOUSSEF AL-MADANI; THE SECOND MAN IN THE HOUTHI GROUP WHO REPORTS DIRECTLY TO IRAN,” Al-Estiklal Newspaper, July 2021, https://www.alestiklal.net/en/view/8827/youssef-al-madani-the-second-man-in-the-houthi-group-who-reports-directly-to-iran.

During the period from 2004 to 2009, al-Madani served as a prominent military leader during the Houthi’s ongoing campaign against the Yemeni government. According to media reports, al-Madani participated in the September 2014 takeover of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. The takeover resulted in the resignation of President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi in January 2015.“YOUSSEF AL-MADANI; THE SECOND MAN IN THE HOUTHI GROUP WHO REPORTS DIRECTLY TO IRAN,” Al-Estiklal Newspaper, July 2021, https://www.alestiklal.net/en/view/8827/youssef-al-madani-the-second-man-in-the-houthi-group-who-reports-directly-to-iran; “Treasury Sanctions Senior Houthi Military Official Overseeing Group’s Offensive Operations,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 20, 2021, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0191; Mohammed Ghobari, “Houthis tighten grip on Yemen capital after swift capture, power-sharing deal,” Reuters, September 22, 2014, http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/22/us-yemen-security-idUSKCN0HH2BQ20140922; Mark Mazzetti and David D. Kirkpatrick, “Saudi Arabia Leads Air Assault in Yemen,” New York Times, March 25, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/26/world/middleeast/al-anad-air-base-houthis-yemen.html?_r=0; “Yemen president quits, throwing country deeper into chaos,” Reuters, January 22, 2015, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-houthis-idUSKBN0KV0HT20150122.

It is uncertain when al-Madani was named commander of the Houthi’s Fifth Military Region—which includes Hodeidah, Hajjah, Al Mahwit, and Raymah—but, as of 2022 al-Madani has been assigned to the offensive targeting Marib.“YUSUF AL-MADANI,” United Nations Security Council, November 9, 2021, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/yusuf-al-madani. The Houthis’ offensive in Marib—which seeks to capture control of the province from Yemen’s internationally recognized government—puts more than one million Yemenis who are already internally displaced at risk of being displaced again.“Treasury Sanctions Senior Houthi Military Official Overseeing Group’s Offensive Operations,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 20, 2021, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0191. Marib, a province that hosts camps for nearly one million internally displaced persons (IDP), remains under attack as the Houthis launch ballistic missile attacks targeting IDP camps and other civilian sites. If the offensive continues, it is projected to displace hundreds of thousands of IDPs.“Treasury Sanctions Senior Houthi Military Official Overseeing Group’s Offensive Operations,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 20, 2021, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0191. Along with Marib, Hodeidah is a critical area that provides humanitarian and essential commercial commodities. However, under al-Madani’s command, the Houthis continue to carry out attacks that affect civilians and civilian infrastructure in Hodeidah.“YUSUF AL-MADANI,” United Nations Security Council, November 9, 2021, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/yusuf-al-madani.

On May 20, 2021, the U.S. State Department designated al-Madani as an SDGT for the risk he poses of committing acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals as well as the national security and economy of the United States.“The United States Designates Houthi Militants,” U.S. Department of State, May 20, 2021, https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-designates-houthi-militants/. The Treasury Department followed suit, and designated al-Madani as an SDN the same day.“Treasury Sanctions Senior Houthi Military Official Overseeing Group’s Offensive Operations,” U.S. Department of Treasury, May 20, 2021, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0191. Additionally, given al-Madani’s role in engaging in acts that directly or indirectly threaten the security and stability of Yemen, on November 9, 2021, the U.N. Security Council sanctioned al-Madani.“YUSUF AL-MADANI,” United Nations Security Council, November 9, 2021, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/yusuf-al-madani.