Reuters: IRGC Uses New Routes to Transfer Weapons to Houthis

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is using new maritime routes in the Persian Gulf to transfer weapons and ammunition to Houthi rebels in Yemen. Reuters reported on Tuesday, July 31, citing Iranian and Western sources, that the IRGC has utilized open waters between Kuwait and Iran for transporting arms to the Houthis over the past six months. Traffic through these waters poses the risk of encountering international vessels patrolling between the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The news agency adds that it appears the IRGC forces are using these new routes to transfer munitions to smaller ships in areas of the Gulf of Oman where the risk of confrontation with security forces is lower. This transfer occurs in Kuwaiti waters and near international shipping lines. Reuters quotes an unnamed Iranian official stating, "Missile parts, launch platforms, and also drugs are smuggled through Kuwaiti waters to Yemen. These routes are also used for transferring cash." According to this Iranian official, "What has recently—specifically in the last six months—been smuggled to Yemen are missile parts that are not produced in Yemen." Cash and drugs are used to finance the Houthis. The Houthis are a group of Yemeni rebels who revolted against the regime of Abdullah Saleh in 2004, opposing his regime's ties to the United States. Unlike the Sunni majority in Yemen, the Houthis belong to the Zaydi branch of Shia Islam. The civil war in Yemen has escalated since 2015, with the Houthis taking control of Sana'a, the capital, and many other areas after overthrowing the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, the President of Yemen. Saudi Arabia, an ally of Hadi's government, has entered the war against the Houthis in support of him. According to Reuters, efforts by security forces to prevent arms smuggling to hostile forces in Yemen have had little success. Independent UN inspectors monitoring sanctions imposed on Yemen have reported in a confidential document to the Security Council that they will continue to investigate arms smuggling routes to the country. The report states that UAE forces have been attacked by Houthi forces 11 times in the past year, with these attacks involving drones carrying explosives. The report adds, "Although Houthi-supporting media have claimed that the Yemeni Ministry of Defense is capable of producing these drones, in reality, the parts of these unmanned aerial vehicles carrying explosives are imported from outside Yemen." Given that eventually the Houthis' munitions and equipment will run out, they will either have to end their struggle or source military supplies from outside the country. Iranian officials describe their support for the Houthis as political and diplomatic, denying any military assistance. Another unnamed Iranian official states, "The scale of this activity, which I do not call trade, is not very large. But this route is safe." According to this Iranian official, smaller ports in Iran are used for these "activities" as using main ports may attract attention. This Iranian official, when asked if the IRGC is involved in these activities, says, "No activity occurs in the Persian Gulf without the involvement of the IRGC." These activities involve significant capital and the transfer of equipment to groups that Iran supports to use against their enemies. The IRGC is the most important military and security power of Iran both domestically and abroad, utilizing advanced military and espionage methods as well as trained military forces to advance the Iranian government's objectives in the Middle East.