Iranian Backing Empowers Houthi Rebels in Escalating Regional Offensive
Iranian support has enabled Houthi rebels in Yemen to launch sophisticated attacks against Saudi Arabia, utilizing IRGC guidance, drones, and smuggled weaponry to threaten vital shipping lanes.
Extensive Iranian support has enabled Houthi rebels in Yemen to execute their most powerful and sophisticated attacks to date against Saudi Arabia and its allies. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Tehran's assistance includes drone and missile targeting guidance, training, intelligence, and tactical on-the-ground direction.
The massive aid significantly contributed to the Houthi surprise offensive, which led to the capture of vast territories in Yemen in a short period. Today, the terrorist organization controls the coastline on its side of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical chokepoint for Saudi oil exports. From there, the Houthis launch attacks against oil tankers, energy facilities, and airports, including a lethal strike that claimed the lives of at least 13 people in Riyadh over the weekend.
Iranian involvement underscores Tehran's ability to leverage its regional proxies to increase pressure in the area. This development poses a significant challenge for Donald Trump and America's Gulf allies, who are attempting to end the war under favorable conditions. Just yesterday, Trump addressed the possibility of Saudi Arabia receiving Israeli assistance against the Houthis, stating that he believes the kingdom will do so. According to him, Israel has already helped Saudi Arabia, noting that the kingdom is very happy to have the support of Israel and the United States.
Smuggling Flights from Khamenei's Funeral
The roots of the current wave of combat trace back to last July. At that time, Iran operated two flights to Houthi-controlled territories to fly pilgrims and senior organization officials to the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was eliminated in an Israeli strike. The flights were operated by the Iranian airline Mahan Air, which is subject to sanctions for smuggling funds, gold, weapons, and operatives for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
However, the flights carried additional cargo: IRGC officers and a cargo hold full of weaponry, including drone parts, missile guidance systems, and detonators. The discovery of the covert cargo led Saudi-backed forces to attempt to stop the second flight by bombing the runway at Sana'a airport, an action that reignited the conflict.
Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a senior Houthi official and spokesperson who claimed to be on the second flight, denied the reports. He dismissed the claims of smuggling officers and weapons as an exaggeration designed to justify the Saudi attack on the airport and deny citizens their right to travel.
Lethal Tactics and Boots on the Ground
Despite the denials, the Houthis began building positions threatening the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, deploying missiles and radar with the direct assistance of IRGC officers present on Yemeni soil. When the Houthi offensive commenced in early September, it was characterized by meticulous planning and the integration of large forces of fighters backed by missiles and drones. Yemeni forces supported by Saudi Arabia were caught off guard, and the rebels rushed toward the port city of Mokha and the surroundings of Bab el-Mandeb.
Field sources testify that the Houthi tactics demonstrated unprecedented sophistication. The combination of infantry assaults with drone and missile attacks, including fiber-optic cable-guided first-person view (FPV) quadcopters, clearly points to Iranian training. A Yemeni opposition source revealed that IRGC officers were present right at the front lines and assisted in directing the strikes.
The combined impact of Houthi achievements in the Red Sea, alongside the Iranian threat to traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, magnifies the threat to the interests of the United States and its allies as the costs of the war continue to rise. Analysts at the Soufan Center noted that these achievements help Iran project power throughout the entire region.
While the Houthis maintain a degree of independence and currently even purchase drone and missile parts directly from China, they operate as an integral part of Iran's regional militia network. A UN panel of experts found in 2024 that the Houthis established joint operations rooms in Lebanon and Iraq to coordinate activity. During the toughest days of combat against Iran, about half of the attacks against Saudi Arabia were launched from Iraqi territory.
Non-Interference Claims
Despite the evidence, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei recently insisted that Iran does not interfere in Yemeni affairs, claiming that the Houthis act in accordance with their own interests. However, the reality on the ground is completely different: IRGC officers are embedded in units involved in every aspect of Houthi military capability, from drones and missiles to tunnels and logistics.
"The support that the Houthis received from Iran and other actors in the axis undoubtedly paved the way for the rapid gains they have recorded in recent months," concluded Adam Baron, a Yemen expert from the New America research institute in Washington.
