Politico Site Reports: Houthis Seeking More Weapons from Iran

The American news site Politico states that intelligence data shows the Houthis are seeking to acquire more weapons from the Iranian government to increase their attacks in the Red Sea. According to the report published on Sunday, U.S. officials assess that the Houthis may also potentially be aiming to attack Western forces in the region. The support of the Islamic Republic of Iran for its proxy forces has intensified attacks on American forces in the Red Sea and other parts of the Middle East. According to the Pentagon, from October 7 to last Friday, Iranian-backed militia groups have attacked American forces in Iraq and Syria 140 times. These attacks have mostly been small-scale, utilizing a combination of drones and missiles, causing minimal damage to infrastructure. However, on Saturday, militants launched a significant attack on Al Asad Airbase in western Iraq, injuring several American personnel. Politico reports that a U.S. Department of Defense official stated that the impact of Iran's 'malicious support' in the region is often overlooked. The unnamed official said, 'This (support for the Houthis) is a continuous effort by Iran that is underestimated.' Another American official also stated that ultimately, U.S. officials hope that the Iranian government will realize that the Houthis' attacks are not worth imposing such economic costs on the region. This official said, 'The calculation they need to make is that they are affecting trade in their own region, impacting businesses.' According to this official, the Houthis' attacks affect the flow of goods and services coming to the region, and it remains to be seen at what point regional countries will say that such attacks must stop. The United States, in the early hours of Friday, January 12, in cooperation with Britain and with the support of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, attacked 30 sites used by the Houthis in various areas of Yemen. Joe Biden stated that the aim of these attacks was to 'ensure freedom of navigation in one of the world's most vital waterways' and added, 'These attacks are a direct response to the unprecedented attacks by the Houthis against international maritime vessels, including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history in the Red Sea.' The United Nations Security Council also on Wednesday, January 10, issued a resolution proposed by the United States, calling for a majority vote for the Houthis, backed by the Islamic Republic, to immediately cease attacks on shipping lines. The British newspaper Telegraph also reported on Wednesday, January 10, citing its intelligence sources inside Iran, that the Houthi group from Yemen has been trained at the 'Khamenei University of Marine Sciences and Technologies' in Zibakenar, Rasht, and that Ali Khamenei personally oversees their activities. The United States announced on January 17 that it would re-list the Houthi group from Yemen as a terrorist organization. Reuters reported that the Islamic Republic and Hezbollah in Lebanon are assisting the Houthis in their attacks in the Red Sea. The White House confirmed that the U.S. targeted Houthi positions three times on Friday. The Houthis promised maritime security in the Red Sea to Russia and China. The Iraqi Foreign Minister discussed Iranian attacks with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Turkey.