Houthis.Photo: reuters.
According toCursorinfo, Russia is providing the Houthis with military assistance, including intelligence data for missile and drone strikes on ships in the Red Sea. Such assistance has been provided since early 2023 through the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which directs the Houthis’ actions in Yemen. Such attacks increase the threat to one of the world’s most important trade routes, undermining stability in the region.
Houthi attacks and global shipping security
American government sources point out that Moscow is actively assisting Yemeni militants in destabilising international shipping. The Houthis, who stepped up their attacks late last year amid the escalating conflict in Gaza, are now able to launch more intense attacks thanks to the Kremlin’s support. This undermines international trade, creating new challenges for the security of sea lanes that are vital to the global economy.
Experts believe that Russia’s support for the Houthis is another attempt by the Kremlin to undermine Western interests and create additional pressure on the United States, which is currently trying to focus on confronting Russia and China. The growing conflict in the Middle East, triggered by the attack on Israel on 7 October last year, is further diverting US attention and resources, complicating its strategy in other areas.
The global impact of Russian support for the Houthis
The Houthis, which the United States considers a terrorist organisation, continue to pose a threat to international security. The information about Russia’s intelligence support to the militants is causing even more concern and criticism of Moscow on the world stage. According to analysts, such actions of the Russian Federation are aimed at undermining international stability and creating additional problems for Ukraine’s strategic partners, undermining the efforts of the United States and its allies to stabilise the region.
Such actions by the Kremlin demonstrate Moscow’s readiness to actively counter the West, using conflicts in key regions to strengthen its influence and create new challenges for the strategic interests of Western countries.
