News of War Staff Writer
Military cadets salute during a military funeral procession for Houthi fighters killed in recent U.S.-led strikes on Houthi targets, in Sanaa, Yemen January 17, 2024. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah/File Photo
Iranian and Hezbollah Commanders Alleged to Direct Houthi Attacks on Red Sea Shipping
Commanders from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement are allegedly present in Yemen, where they are accused of helping direct Houthi assaults on shipping in the Red Sea, sources told Reuters. Four individuals from the region and two from Iran provided this information.
Post the Gaza conflict, which began with Hamas's assault on Israel on 7 October, Iran, recognised for arming, training, and funding the Houthis, has reportedly increased its supply of weapons to the militia. Tehran is said to have provided the Houthis with sophisticated drones, anti-ship cruise missiles, precision-strike ballistic missiles, and medium-range missiles.
These arms have been used by the Houthis since November to target commercial ships in a display of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, the sources disclosed.
The IRGC commanders and advisors are also believed to be offering expertise, data, and intelligence support to pinpoint which vessels traversing the Red Sea daily are bound for Israel and thus represent potential Houthi targets, all sources reported.
Washington last month claimed that Iran's involvement in planning operations against Red Sea shipping was profound and that its intelligence was crucial for enabling the Houthis to target vessels.
When approached for a comment on this story, the White House referred to its previous public statements regarding Iran's support for the Houthis.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanaani, has consistently denied Tehran's involvement in Red Sea operations by the Houthis during his weekly press briefings. The IRGC's public relations office did not respond to a request for comment.
Mohammed Abdulsalam, a Houthi spokesperson, refuted any claims of Iranian or Hezbollah assistance in directing the Red Sea attacks. Similarly, a Hezbollah spokesperson did not respond to requests for comments.
The Houthis, who arose in the 1980s as a militant group opposing Saudi Arabia's Sunni religious influence in Yemen, claim they are aiding Hamas by striking commercial ships they believe are associated with Israel or en route to Israeli ports.
Their actions have disrupted global shipping routes between Asia and Europe via the Bab al-Mandab strait off Yemen. This has led to U.S. and British air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, opening a new theatre of conflict linked to the war in Gaza.
The conflict in Gaza has also prompted skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah militants along the Lebanese border and attacks by groups with links to Iran on U.S. interests in Iraq and Syria.
"The Revolutionary Guards have been assisting the Houthis with military training on advanced weaponry," an Iranian insider conveyed to Reuters. He revealed that a contingent of Houthi fighters had been trained at an IRGC base in central Iran last month to acquaint them with new technology and missile operation.
The source disclosed that Iranian commanders had also made their way to Yemen and established a command centre in the capital, Sanaa, for the Red Sea operations, led by a high-ranking IRGC officer in charge of Yemen.
The attacks in the Red Sea are believed to align with Iran's broader regional strategy of extending its influence by mobilising its network of Shiite armed militias. Analysts suggest that Tehran's aim is to demonstrate the potential costliness of the Gaza war for the West and the possibility of catastrophic regional repercussions if tensions escalate.
"The Houthis are not operating autonomously," stated Abdulaziz al-Sager, head of the Gulf Research Centre think tank. His assessment, based on a detailed analysis of the group's capabilities, suggests that the Houthis lack the resources and expertise to independently target vessels transiting through the Bab al-Mandab strait.
Adrienne Watson, a spokeswoman for U.S. national security, also stated last month that intelligence provided by Iran had been instrumental in enabling the Houthis to target ships.
Former Yemeni army sources indicate a clear presence of IRGC and Hezbollah members in Yemen, overseeing military operations, training, and the assembly of missiles smuggled into the country in pieces.
Abdulghani Al-Iryani, a senior researcher at the Sana'a Centre for Strategic Studies, an independent think tank, remarked, "It is evident that the Iranians are assisting in identifying the targets and their destinations. The Houthis do not possess the local capacity for such operations."
A senior regional source, who requested anonymity, summarised, "The political decisions are made in Tehran, the management is by Hezbollah, and the execution is by the Houthis in Yemen."
Despite Houthis spokesperson Abdulsalam affirming the group's intention to target Israeli ships without causing human or significant material damage, a security official close to Iran stated, "The Houthis have the necessary drones and missiles for their fight against Israel, but they needed guidance on shipping routes and ships, which has been provided by Iran."
This advisory role is said to be akin to Iran's involvement in Syria, encompassing everything from training to supervising operations as needed.
"A team of Iranian Guards is currently in Sanaa to support the operations," the security official said.
Washington and Gulf Arab states have long accused Iran of arming, training, and financing the Houthis, who are part of Tehran's anti-Western, anti-Israel "Axis of Resistance." Iran has denied a direct role in the Red Sea attacks, but Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has commended the Houthis, expressing hope for their continued strikes "until victory."
A leader within the coalition of pro-Iranian groups has denied the presence of IRGC or Hezbollah commanders in Yemen at present. He stated that Iranian and Hezbollah military experts had previously visited Yemen early in the civil war to train the Houthis and establish their military manufacturing capabilities.
"They provided assistance and left, as they did with Hezbollah and Hamas," he noted, underlining that the military prowess of the Houthis, familiar with the terrain and the sea, should not be underestimated.
Amidst the aftermath of the Arab Spring uprising in Yemen, the Houthis solidified their hold on the north and captured the capital Sanaa in 2014, leading to a Saudi-led coalition's military intervention.
When Hamas initiated hostilities against Israel, Iran was compelled to display solidarity after years of anti-Israel rhetoric. However, analysts believed that deploying Hezbollah might lead to substantial Israeli retaliation.
Iryani from the Sana'a Centre for Strategic Studies pointed out that a significant war between Israel and Hezbollah would be disastrous for Lebanon and could jeopardise the future of Hezbollah, a pivotal group in Iran's "Axis of Resistance."
By contrast, the Houthis, in their strategic position, could significantly disrupt global maritime activities with minimal effort, he concluded.