The potential for a regional conflict in the Middle East is raising concerns among global leaders as extremist groups gain momentum, now bolstered by state-sponsored terrorism.
The Houthi faction has long been a persistent threat in the Red Sea, conducting nearly a decade of assaults on both military and commercial vessels with advanced weaponry.
Since the violent events of October 7 involving Hamas’ attack on Israel and the ensuing conflict in Gaza, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have surged. The group has committed to continuing these assaults until Israel halts its military actions against Hamas and the Palestinian population.
These operations, however, extend beyond mere opposition to the Gaza conflict, signaling a more intricate geopolitical strategy being employed by the U.S.’s primary adversaries, Iran and Russia.
Houthi fighters participate in a rally supporting Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and opposing U.S. airstrikes on Yemen, held outside Sanaa on January 22, 2024. Thousands from Iran-backed factions in the Middle East have offered to assist Hezbollah in Lebanon’s conflict with Israel. (AP Photo)
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“The Houthis are becoming a significant asset in Iran’s strategy to tighten the grip on Israel,” Bill Roggio, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and founding editor of “The Long War Journal,” stated for Fox News Digital.
Not only do the Houthi assaults in the Red Sea align with Iran’s tactics, but they are also supporting Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine, indirectly impacting the U.S. and NATO.
Recent reports suggest that Russia might arm Houthi militants in the Red Sea as a retaliatory measure against U.S. support for Ukraine.
While U.S. defense officials express skepticism about any arms transfers from Moscow to the Houthis, this follows a meeting earlier this year between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdel Salam, which reportedly aimed to persuade Russia to exert pressure on the U.S. regarding the conflict in Gaza.
Western defense authorities warn that Houthi assaults pose not only a threat to those in international waters but also contribute to global food and trade shortages, worsening food insecurity worldwide, particularly in Africa, which was initially exacerbated by Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The British-registered cargo vessel Rubymar is seen sinking on March 3 after being targeted by Houthi forces while navigating the Red Sea. (Al-Joumhouriah channel via Getty Images)
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“It is crucial to consider these events in context,” Roggio remarked. “Any actions Russia can take to penalize the U.S. – whether military, economic, or political – ultimately increase the costs for U.S. support of Ukraine by complicating matters across the Middle East.”
“The Russians will exploit any conflicts involving the U.S.,” he continued. “We are essentially seeing a return to a Cold War-like scenario where these issues spill over into regions of direct U.S. interest.”
Roggio elaborated that while it is “very possible” Russia maintains direct communications with the Houthis, it is more likely that Moscow prefers to engage through Tehran.
“The strategies pursued by the Iranians benefit Iran,” he stated. “It’s as if Russia is outsourcing its effort to inflict pain on the U.S. through Iran.”
The partnership between Russia and Iran received global scrutiny when Tehran decided to provide drones to Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, shakes hands with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow on December 7, 2023. (SERGEI BOBYLYOV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
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Iran and Russia have established a collaborative alliance to counter the Western sanctions imposed on both countries for various security-related reasons.
As the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea escalate, it becomes increasingly clear how the group is being utilized by both Iran and Russia to achieve their geopolitical objectives.
From mid-October 2023 to July, there have been approximately 290 assaults by Houthi militants based in Yemen targeting commercial and military ships in the Red Sea, as well as strikes directed at Israel, with the assistance of the U.S. Navy in interception efforts, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project, a nonprofit data collection organization.
Despite the bolstered U.S. presence in the Red Sea, U.S. Central Command chief Gen. Erik Kurilla reportedly informed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that military operations in the region were “failing” and suggested a more comprehensive strategy, as reported by the Wall Street Journal earlier this month.
Participants at a rally express support for Palestinians and the Houthi rebels in Sanaa, Yemen, on March 22, raising their rifles and chanting slogans. (Mohammed Hamoud/Getty Images)
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“Our focus is primarily on targeting weapon systems rather than Houthi leadership or their military and political decision-makers,” Roggio explained. “To truly address the issue, you must focus on the Iranians, who are orchestrating this entire situation.”
“The Iranians face no consequences,” he emphasized. “[They] are content to allow the Houthis to engage in combat indefinitely, which has no significant repercussions for them.”
