Fearing Israeli targeting… a Shura Council to select the Houthi leadership
Yemeni security sources said that Iran has compelled the Houthi leader to establish a consultative council modeled after Lebanon’s Hezbollah, as a measure aimed at ensuring the continuity of the group’s leadership.
According to these sources, Iran instructed militia leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi to “form a consultative council in coordination with influential figures within the group, composed of eight members from active leadership circles.” The sources added that “the Houthi leader initially rejected the idea of creating such a council before agreeing to the Iranian request, on the condition that the number of members be increased to fifteen.”
The same sources confirmed that “the task of the consultative council will be to select a new leader for the group if the leadership position becomes vacant,” a measure believed to ensure leadership continuity in the event of the assassination of the current leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.
According to the information, the consultative council will also be responsible for forming an “executive body” consisting of twenty members tasked with managing the most important sectors and institutions, acting as a shadow government in Houthi-controlled areas.
The sources noted that “this Iranian initiative stems from concerns over potential internal conflict surrounding the group’s leadership, whether the current leader remains in place or not.”
They added that “the establishment of the consultative council is Tehran’s preferred option for managing the group’s succession process, given the absence of a mechanism for leadership transition if Abdul-Malik al-Houthi were to be killed,” a decision reflecting fears that the current leader may be targeted by Israel.
Observers note that forming a consultative council for the militia represents a shift toward organizing power structures within the movement, mirroring the approach of Hezbollah, whose consultative council consists of seven members. The Houthis are also emulating other terrorist organizations, such as Al-Qaeda, which convene their consultative councils to choose leaders, thereby ensuring these groups’ continuity.
