The U.S. and Saudi Arabia Pressured, Russia Retreated; Houthis Deprived of Military Supplies

CNN reported on Saturday, August 4, that the Russians refrained from delivering a shipment of missiles and other military equipment to the Houthis due to warnings and behind-the-scenes pressures from the United States and Saudi Arabia. According to the report citing informed sources, the Saudis, who have been engaged in a war with the Houthis for years, severely warned Russia after learning of Moscow's plans to militarily strengthen this group, one of their biggest enemies. Two sources also stated that the United States, in addition to diplomatic efforts to prevent the arming of the Houthi rebels by the Russians, separately requested the Saudis to convince Moscow to halt this action. Some American officials say that the Russians view arming and advising the Houthis as a way to take revenge on the Biden administration for its support of Ukraine, and while they have retreated from transferring weapons to the Houthis, they have nonetheless dispatched military advisors to Yemen in early August to assist and train the Houthis. The Houthis began their near-daily attacks on vessels passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in November 2023, prompting the United States and the United Kingdom to conduct several rounds of airstrikes inside Yemen to destroy their infrastructure. After months of missile and drone attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which resulted in the deaths of several sailors and disrupted global trade, the United States designated the Houthis as a global terrorist organization last winter. Despite several rounds of sanctions and military attacks on the Houthis' military infrastructure, these Iran-supported rebels continue to attack commercial ships in vital waterways. The British newspaper Telegraph reported on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, citing its intelligence sources inside Iran, that the Houthi group in Yemen has been trained at the 'Khamenei University of Marine Sciences and Technologies' in Zibakenar, Rasht, and that Ali Khamenei personally oversees their activities. CENTCOM reported the destruction of a missile and a Houthi launcher. The U.S. is repositioning its military equipment to defend Israel against a potential attack by the Islamic Republic. Forty-eight Republican senators criticized the Biden administration for the 'delay' in sending weapons to Israel, urging an end to 'accommodation' with the Islamic Republic. Yoav Gallant stated that cooperation between the U.S. and Israel against the Islamic Republic and its proxies is 'vital' for regional security.