What to know about Youssef Al-Madani: The Houthi's new Chief of Staff

In a move that underscores the tight-knit family dynamics at the heart of Yemen's Houthi movement, Youssef Al-Madani has been named the new Chief of Staff of the group's armed forces.

The announcement, made today, comes in the wake of the death of his predecessor, Mohammed Abdulkarim Al-Ghumari, who was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Al-Madani, also known as Yusuf Hassan Ismail Al-Madani or by his nom de guerre Abu Hussein, steps into this pivotal role at a time when the Houthis, formally Ansar Allah, continue to assert their influence in Yemen's protracted civil war and beyond, including disruptions in the Red Sea.

Born in 1977 in the rugged Muhatta Directorate of Hajjah Province, Yemen, Al-Madani's early life was steeped in the Zaydi Shia traditions that would later define his path. As a young man, he pursued religious studies under the influential Houthi cleric Majd al-Din al-Muayyad in Sa'dah Governorate, a hotbed for the emerging movement.

It was here that he aligned himself with Hussein al-Houthi's Al Shabab al-Mu’min (Young Believers), the ideological precursor to today's Houthis, setting the stage for a lifelong commitment to their cause.Al-Madani's military acumen was honed far from Yemen's borders. In 2002, he traveled to Iran for specialized training with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), absorbing tactics that would prove instrumental in building the Houthis' fighting force.

Returning in 2003, he took on a key role in training Houthi recruits and facilitating their dispatch to IRGC camps in Iran and Syria, effectively professionalizing the group's militia.

His close ties to the leadership are not just professional; reports indicate he is the brother-in-law of Abdulmalik al-Houthi, the supreme leader of the movement, further cementing his position within the inner circle.

Over the years, Al-Madani has climbed the ranks through a series of high-stakes military commands. He currently oversees the Houthis' Fifth Military Region, encompassing critical areas such as Al Hudaydah, Hajjah, and Al Mahwit, while directing operations along the strategically vital Red Sea coast.

Appointed as Chief of Staff in 2016 and later promoted to major general, he has been credited with orchestrating aggressive campaigns against Yemeni government forces, contributing to the ongoing instability in the region. Described by observers as an "experienced commander with a combat background," Al-Madani's leadership has been linked to actions that threaten Yemen's fragile peace and security.

His prominence has not gone unnoticed on the international stage. In May 2021, the U.S. Treasury Department designated him as a Specially Designated National (SDN) for his role in fueling Yemen's civil war. The U.S. State Department followed suit, labeling him a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) for posing threats to American interests and security.

Later that year, on November 9, the United Nations imposed sanctions, citing his involvement in Houthi military activities that exacerbate regional conflicts.

As Al-Madani assumes this top military post, analysts suggest it signals continuity in the Houthis' strategy, potentially intensifying their confrontations with adversaries like the Saudi-led coalition and Israel. With Yemen's humanitarian crisis deepening and global shipping routes under threat, his leadership could shape the next chapter in one of the world's most intractable conflicts.