Iranian and Hezbollah involvement in Houthi assaults: Iranian and Hezbollah leaders play a role in guiding Houthi assaults in Yemen.
Iranian and Hezbollah involvement in Houthi assaults:Commanders from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah are reportedly present in Yemen, actively involved in directing and overseeing Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. Iran, a known supporter of the Houthi rebels, has allegedly increased its weapons supply to the group following the conflict in Gaza. The escalation in Gaza occurred after Iran-backed Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel on October 7, according to the same regional sources.
A Houthi law enforcement officer participates in a demonstration opposing recent U.S.-led airstrikes on Houthi targets, close to Sanaa, Yemen, on January 14, 2024. (Photo by Khaled Abdullah/Reuters)
Summary:
Iran has provided drones and precision-strike missiles to the Houthis, as reported by sources.
Iranian support includes offering know-how, data, and intelligence in the Red Sea, according to sources.
Last month, the Houthis underwent training on advanced weapons in Iran, as revealed by a source.
The attacks in the Red Sea demonstrate Iran's capability to threaten naval security.
Iran has reportedly supplied the Houthi rebels with advanced weaponry, including drones, anti-ship cruise missiles, precision-strike ballistic missiles, and medium-range missiles. These actions began in November, with the Houthis targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Sources indicate that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders and advisers are offering expertise, data, and intelligence support. They help identify which ships passing through the Red Sea are headed for Israel and are potential targets for Houthi attacks.
Last month, Washington stated that Iran played a significant role in planning operations against ships in the Red Sea, emphasizing that Iranian intelligence was crucial for the Houthis to target vessels. When asked for comment on this, the White House referred to its earlier public statements regarding Iran's support for the Houthis. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanaani, has consistently denied Tehran's involvement in the Red Sea attacks by the Houthis during his weekly news conferences. Despite a request for comment, the IRGC public relations office did not respond.
Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam has denied any involvement by Iran or Hezbollah in directing the Red Sea attacks. Despite a request for comment, a Hezbollah spokesperson has not responded. The Houthis, originating in the 1980s as an armed group opposing Saudi Arabia's influence in Yemen, claim to support Hamas by targeting commercial ships linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports.
These attacks have disrupted global shipping between Asia and Europe through the Bab al-Mandab strait off Yemen, leading to U.S. and British airstrikes on Houthi targets. This has created a new conflict linked to the war in Gaza. The Gaza conflict has also triggered clashes between Israel and Hezbollah militants along the Lebanese border, along with attacks on U.S. targets in Iraq and Syria by Iran-linked groups.
According to an Iranian insider, the Revolutionary Guards have been providing military training to the Houthis on advanced weapons. A group of Houthi fighters recently underwent training in an IRGC base in central Iran to familiarize themselves with new technology and missile usage. Iranian commanders have reportedly traveled to Yemen, establishing a command center in the capital, Sanaa, for the Red Sea attacks, overseen by a senior IRGC commander responsible for Yemen.
Approach in the Area
The attacks in the Red Sea align with Iran's strategy to expand and mobilize its network of armed Shiite militias in the region. This aims to demonstrate influence and the ability to threaten maritime security, extending beyond the immediate region. Analysts suggest that Tehran seeks to convey that a prolonged Gaza war could be costly for the West, with potential catastrophic consequences in the escalating regional situation.
According to Abdulaziz al-Sager, director of the Gulf Research Center think-tank, the Houthi rebels are not acting independently due to their limited capabilities. He argues that, lacking the means, resources, knowledge, or satellite information, the Houthis couldn't independently identify specific targets among the dozens of vessels passing through Bab al-Mandab daily.
White House national security spokeswoman Adrienne Watson acknowledged last month that Iranian-provided tactical intelligence played a crucial role in enabling the Houthis to target ships. Former Yemeni army sources claim a clear presence of IRGC and Hezbollah members in Yemen, responsible for supervising military operations and assembling smuggled missiles.
Abdulghani Al-Iryani from the Sana'a Center for Strategic Studies notes that Iranians are assisting in identifying targets and destinations, as local Houthi capacity for such tasks is limited. A senior regional source emphasizes that the political decision comes from Tehran, management from Hezbollah, and the location involves the Houthis in Yemen.
Arms and Guidance
Houthi spokesperson Abdulsalam stated that the group's goal is to target Israeli ships heading to Israel without causing significant human or material losses. He emphasized that U.S. and British strikes on Yemen would not compel them to back down. Abdulsalam acknowledged the group's relationship with Iran, citing their benefit from Iranian training, military manufacturing, and capabilities. However, he asserted that Yemen's decisions are independent and not influenced by any other party.
On the other hand, a security official with ties to Iran revealed that while the Houthis possess drones, missiles, and necessary resources for their fight against Israel, they sought guidance and advice on shipping routes and ships, which Iran provided. The official likened Iran's advisory role to its involvement in Syria, encompassing training and overseeing operations when necessary. Currently, a group of Iranian Guards members is reportedly in Sanaa to support the operations.
The report highlighted Iran's previous deployment of Revolutionary Guards to Syria, where they worked alongside Hezbollah fighters to train and organize Shiite militia fighters from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan. This intervention aimed to prevent the downfall of President Bashar al-Assad during the Sunni-led insurgency in 2011.
While Iran has consistently denied a direct role in the Red Sea attacks, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has expressed support for the Houthis, a group following an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam. Khamenei voiced his hope that their strikes would persist "until victory." The accusations against Iran by Washington and Gulf Arab states involve arming, training, and financing the Houthis, who align with Tehran as part of its anti-Western, anti-Israel "Axis of Resistance" alongside Lebanon's Hezbollah and groups in Syria and Iraq.
Train and Outfit
A spokesperson within the coalition of pro-Iranian groups denied the presence of any commanders from the IRGC or Hezbollah currently in Yemen. According to the spokesperson, a team of Iranian and Hezbollah military experts had previously visited Yemen during its civil war to provide training, equipment, and build the manufacturing military capabilities of the Houthis. This assistance was similar to the support given to Hezbollah and Hamas in the past, emphasizing that the military capabilities of the Houthis should not be underestimated.
The spokesperson highlighted that the Houthis possess knowledge of the terrain and the sea, along with established systems for attacking ships, including high-precision equipment from Iran. The Houthis strengthened their control over northern Yemen and seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014, prompting a military intervention by a Saudi-led coalition.
Regarding Iran's support for the Palestinian group Hamas during conflicts with Israel, analysts noted that Iran, wary of triggering massive Israeli retaliation by involving Hezbollah, opted to demonstrate support for Hamas. According to Abdulghani Al-Iryani from the Sana'a Center for Strategic Studies, a major war between Israel and Hezbollah would be disastrous for Lebanon, potentially endangering the future of the group within Iran's "Axis of Resistance."
In contrast, the Houthis, positioned strategically, could disrupt global maritime activity with relatively little effort, making their impact significant.
Comments