Following the Houthi takeover in Yemen, al-Zindani escaped from Houthis after they took control of the capital Sana’a in 2014, towards the city of Taiz (southwest), before heading to Saudi territories through the port of Al-Wadia (east), in a journey described as "adventure" after passing through Houthi checkpoints. In October 2017, he was reported to be under house arrest in Saudi Arabia. In November 2020 he moved from Saudi Arabia to Turkey.