Houthis seize Sanaa, Yemen capital

Houthi rebels seize control of Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, following weeks of escalating protests and clashes. The Houthis and government sign a UN-brokered deal providing for a new unity government, but the Houthis consolidate military control over key facilities including parliament, central bank, state broadcaster, and general command of armed forces. The seizure marks a major shift in Yemeni politics and begins a trajectory that will see the Iran-backed Houthis become the dominant force in northern Yemen. By January 2015, President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi resigns and flees to Saudi Arabia. The Houthi takeover initiates a civil war and invites Saudi-led coalition intervention.