Escalating Houthi attacks draw attention from Iran and Gulf States - analysis

The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen say they have increased their attacks, targeting Israel. According to Iran’s IRNA state media, the group say they “have confirmed yet another joint operation with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq against the positions of the Zionist regime, including in the occupied Palestinian territories.” The report follows a statement by the Houthis’ Brig.-Gen. Yahya Saree.

“We carried out a special operation in the Red Sea using unmanned boats, ballistic missiles and drones against a ship called Tutor, which could damage the vessel, and caused it to sink,” Saree said, adding that “our armed forces warn all companies about the consequences of cooperating with the Israeli enemy and their ships entering the ports of occupied Palestine,” according to IRNA. The Houthis also claim to have tried to target Israeli “ports of Ashdod and Haifa.”

The group says it uses drones and cruise missiles in these attacks. There was no evidence these claims were accurate in this instance, but the Houthis have targeted Eilat in the past.

CENTCOM confirms Houthi UAV launches

Meanwhile, US Central Command said on June 12 that CENTCOM “forces successfully destroyed three anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM) launchers in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen and one uncrewed aerial system (UAS) launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen over the Red Sea.”

In addition CENTCOM says that two ballistic missiles were launched by the Houthis. One “Iranian-backed Houthi unmanned surface vessel (USV) struck M/V Tutor, a Liberian flagged, Greek-owned and operated vessel, in the Red Sea. M/V Tutor most recently docked in Russia. The impact of the USV caused severe flooding and damage to the engine room.”

Al-Ain news media also reported airstrikes in Yemen inside the country in the mountains, targeting “buildings controlled by the Houthi militia, one of which was used for radio broadcasting and where armed elements were deployed in Al-Jabayn District, capital of Raymah Governorate.”

The report said this was the first time airstrikes were reported here in the context of the Houthi escalation in the Red Sea. The report calls these mountains “strategic.” The report goes on to note that “recently, local and security sources reported to Al-Ain News that the Houthi militias redeployed their groups in the mountain ranges and were stationed in the Raymah Heights overlooking the ports of Hodeidah in order to stay and hide away from direct targeting from the American and British strikes.”

This shows that there is escalation by the Houthis and that this simmering conflict is being watched closely in Iran and in the Gulf in places like the UAE, where Al-Ain media is based.