[4] With one of his brothers Abdul Malik al-Houthi succeeded as the new Houthi leader, the movement has been transformed from a grassroot Zaydi religious revivalist network into a strong fighting insurgent forces since then.

[7] The war has reached into a protracted state in 2010 as neither the Houthi rebels could gain control any areas in Saada, nor the government forces were able to subdue the rebellion.

[11] Meanwhile, skirmish clashes broke out as early as January on the outskirts of Saada city between the Houthis and the Al Abdin tribe led by Sheikh Uthman Mujalli, a vocal anti-Houthi tribal leader.

[12] In response to the bloody event, Houthi rebels stormed Saada city next day on 19 March, allegedly blowing up houses and inflicting heavy civilian casualties.

[14] The armed defectors mostly consists of troops from 1st Armoured Division (Firqa) led by Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar who declared support for the uprising as well.

[1] On 26 March,[14] Houthi field commander Abu Ali Abdullah al-Hakim al-Houthi appointed Fares Manaa, one of the Middle East's most prominent arms dealers and former ally to Saleh, as governor of Saada.

Manaa broke with Saleh after he had been imprisoned by him for months in Sanaa and he resigned from GPC party to join forces with the Houthis along with several other prominent Saada politicians.

[1] Houthis later declared a separate administration fully independent from the government of Yemen,[14] consisting of rebels, residents and defected military commanders.