Yemen’s Houthi terrorists used targeting data provided by Russia to attack Western ships in the Red Sea earlier this year, an exclusive Thursday Wall Street Journal report disclosed.
According to the report, the Houthis used Russian satellite data to destabilize the region as the Israel-Hamas war expanded throughout the past year. A person familiar with the matter and two European defense officials reportedly told the WSJ this information.
Furthermore, the data was passed through Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members embedded within the Houthis, one of the sources reportedly said.
The report added that the assistance of Russia to the Iran-backed Houthis, designated by the US as a terror group, showed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s commitment to causing instability in the Middle East and undermining the US and Western world.
“For Russia, any flare-up anywhere is good news because it takes the world’s attention further away from Ukraine, and the US needs to commit resources—Patriot systems or artillery shells—and with the Middle East in play, it’s clear where the US will choose,” Alexander Gabuev, director of Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, a think tank based in Berlin, reportedly said.
The report noted that neither the Russian government nor the Houthi spokesman agreed to the WSJ’s request for comment.
As Israel has steadily increased operations against Iran and its militias in the region, Putin has turned away from his long-standing relationship with Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in favor of strengthened ties with Iran, the report added.
The Houthis have disrupted global trade
According to the WSJ, the Houthis’ attacks, bolstered by Iran and Russia, have caused significant disruptions to global trade, diverting shipper vessels for more expensive voyages. Additionally, the terrorists have reportedly attacked over 100 ships since November 2023, sinking two and hijacking another.
