Iran's support transforms Yemen’s Houthi rebels into powerful military force, UN says
Illustrative photo (getty images)
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have transformed from a local armed group with limited capabilities into a powerful military organization supported by Iran, Iraqi armed groups, Lebanese Hezbollah militants, and others, according to AP.
Backed by Iran, the Houthis have exploited the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza to gain popularity both regionally and beyond, according to experts tracking sanctions against the group in a 537-page report to the United Nations Security Council.
To support Hamas, the Houthis are attacking vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, violating international maritime law in a key geopolitical region.
Despite the Houthis’ claims that their targets would be ships linked to Israel, the commission stated that its investigation revealed the rebels are striking vessels indiscriminately.
Data analysis from the International Maritime Organization, the United States, and the United Kingdom showed that from November 15, 2023, to July 31, 2024, there were at least 134 attacks on commercial and military vessels, including those of the US and British navies, originating from Houthi-controlled areas in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Experts noted that during these attacks, the Houthis employed a new ballistic missile called Hatem-2.
UN experts have stated that the Yemeni conflict, which began as an internal struggle, has now escalated into a major international crisis.
Estimates indicate that the number of Houthi fighters currently stands at around 350,000, up from 220,000 in 2022 and 30,000 in 2015.
“The group’s shift to actions at sea increased their influence in the region. Such a scale of attacks, using weapon systems on civilian vessels, had never occurred since the Second World War,” the report stated.
Experts attributed this transformation to the transfer of military equipment and training conducted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force, Hezbollah, and Iraqi specialists and technicians.
Additionally, according to The Wall Street Journal, Russia has provided targeted satellite data to Yemen’s Houthi for guiding missiles and drones in attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
