Trump Threatens Iran Over Nuclear Ambitions as Global Tensions Rise

**Hamas** is a Sunni Islamist Palestinian nationalist organization that functions both as a political party and a militant group, primarily operating in the Gaza Strip, which it has governed since 2007. Founded in 1987 by Ahmed Yassin amid the First Intifada, Hamas emerged from the Muslim Brotherhood and initially had covert Israeli support as a counterweight to the secular Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)[3][1]. It combines political governance with an armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, committed to armed resistance against Israel, which it refuses to recognize as a legitimate state[1][3]. Hamas’s political rise culminated in a 2006 electoral victory in the Palestinian Legislative Council, campaigning on anti-corruption and resistance platforms. After violently seizing Gaza from the rival Fatah faction in 2007, Hamas has maintained de facto control there despite international isolation and blockades imposed by Israel and Egypt[3]. Its governance has been marked by repeated conflicts with Israel, including major wars in 2008–09, 2012, 2014, 2021, and the ongoing intense conflict triggered by Hamas’s surprise October 2023 attack killing nearly 1,200 Israelis and taking hostages[1][2][3]. Hamas benefits from regional support, especially from Iran, which supplies funding and weapons, as well as financial and political backing from Turkey and Qatar. These alliances form part of a broader "axis of resistance" against Israel, which includes groups like Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad[2]. Hamas also operates fundraising networks globally, sometimes using charities as fronts to support its military activities[4]. The group is designated a terrorist organization by many countries, including the United States, which has increased military aid to Israel following recent escalations[2][6]. Despite modifying its 1988 charter in 2017 to soften some language, Hamas continues to reject Israel’s legitimacy and pursues all forms of resistance[1]. Its enduring political

The Houthis, officially known as **Ansar Allah**, are a Zaydi revivalist and Islamist political-military organization that emerged in Yemen in the 1990s, drawing leadership primarily from the al-Houthi family[1]. Initially a small, localized movement opposing perceived government corruption and foreign influence, the group has transformed into a major regional actor with significant influence over Yemen’s political and military landscape[5]. The Houthis are predominantly Zaydi Shia Muslims, a minority in Yemen, and are widely seen as part of the Iranian-led “Axis of Resistance,” receiving substantial support from Tehran[1][3]. ## History and Evolution The Houthi movement began as the “Believing Youth,” a religious revivalist group, but gained prominence in 2004 when its founder, Hussein al-Houthi, was killed by Yemeni forces, sparking a series of uprisings known as the Houthi Wars[1][6]. Over the next decade, the group capitalized on Yemen’s political instability, notably during the Arab Spring, to expand its territorial control[6]. In 2014, the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and by early 2015, they had dissolved the government, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention that escalated into a full-blown civil war[6][7]. Despite initial setbacks from coalition airstrikes, the Houthis not only survived but grew stronger, adapting their organizational structure and military tactics[5]. ## Key Achievements and Current Status The Houthis’ most notable achievement is their consolidation of power over much of northern Yemen, including the capital, despite international isolation and military opposition[5][6]. They have demonstrated resilience against one of the region’s most powerful militaries (Saudi Arabia) and have developed sophisticated missile and drone capabilities, reportedly with Iranian assistance[1][3]. Their attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea have