UN Experts: Houthis in Yemen Strengthened by Support from IRGC and Hezbollah

United Nations experts reported in a confidential document that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Quds Force have aided Houthi militants in Yemen, transforming this local armed group into a powerful military organization. A group of independent experts responsible for providing an annual report to the UN Security Council stated in their recent report that Houthi militia forces have received tactical and technical training from IRGC members, Hezbollah, and Iraqi specialists by using fake passports and traveling to Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq. The Shia Houthis of Yemen have repeatedly targeted vessels in the Red Sea with missile and drone attacks over the past year in support of Palestinians in Gaza during the conflict with Israel, disrupting international maritime trade. The authors of the confidential report to the UN Security Council concluded, based on evidence gathered from military experts, Yemeni officials, and individuals close to the Houthis, that the Houthi rebels would not be able to develop and produce complex weapon systems without foreign support. The report describes the scope and nature of various military logistics and technologies provided by foreign sources, including financial support and training for the Iran-backed Houthis as 'unprecedented.' It further states that the weapon systems used by the Houthis are similar to those employed by the Islamic Republic of Iran or armed groups supported by it in the 'Resistance Axis.' Iranian officials refer to their allied groups in the region - including the Houthis, Hamas militants, Hezbollah, and various armed groups in Iraq and Syria - as the 'Resistance Axis.' The UN independent experts concluded that the armed group of Houthis in Yemen has become a powerful organization with the help of logistics, assistance, and training provided by experts and technicians from the IRGC, Quds Force, Hezbollah, and Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq. The Houthis have been under UN sanctions since 2015. Iranian officials have consistently denied supplying arms to the Houthis. This comes as Reuters recently reported on secret negotiations between Russia and the Houthis, mediated by Iran, for the transfer of advanced Russian anti-ship missiles to this militia group in Yemen. A US Department of Defense official emphasized that any efforts to strengthen the capabilities of the Houthis undermine international efforts to ensure freedom of global shipping and establish stability in the Red Sea and the Middle East region. Hezbollah's attack with 40 rockets on the Golan Heights and the Houthis' ballistic missile attack on central Israel resulted in no casualties. Operations to tow and rescue a damaged Greek oil tanker in the Red Sea have begun. CENTCOM confirmed the Iranian-backed Houthis' attack on two other oil tankers in the Red Sea. The Houthis' unsuccessful attack on a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden has also been reported.