Iran's Connection to Houthis 'Obvious' as Evidence Unravels Tehran's Role

An exiled Iranian resistance group has uncovered damning evidence that exposes the direct involvement of top Iranian officials in supporting the Houthis in their attacks against ships in the Red Sea, fueling concerns about Iran's destabilizing influence in the region.

The People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) has provided Fox News Digital with evidence that allegedly shows how the Iranian-backed Houthis, based in northern Yemen, are supplied by Tehran. The Houthis have conducted more than 50 attacks targeting ships traversing the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since October 2023.

The MEK claims that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) uses various methods and locations to ship weaponry, including drones, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, anti-ship mines, radar equipment, and communication systems, to the Houthis. Some of these missiles are manufactured by the Aerospace Industries Organization, sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department.

Adding credibility to the group's claims, a February 2024 Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report demonstrates Iranian support to Houthi proxies through side-by-side comparisons of Houthi and Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles and missile systems. Among the ballistic missiles in both countries' arsenals is the Iranian Shahab-3, referred to by the Houthis as the "Toofan."

The IRGC-QF allegedly uses a port east of the city of Jask to send military supplies to Yemeni Houthis. These supplies are sometimes hidden inside fenders, large shock absorbers, and anchored below the water surface at predetermined locations for pickup by secondary ships using GPS.

On other occasions, the IRGC may ship materials to Yemen after making stopovers in African countries.

In addition to providing weapons, Iran reportedly trains the Houthis to utilize high-tech weaponry and has assisted them in developing from a ragtag force into a conventional military force. According to Centcom's deputy commander, Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, IRGC personnel are "serving side by side" with the Houthis in Yemen, advising them and providing target information.

The scale of support to the Houthis underscores the involvement of top Iranian leadership. According to the MEK, the senior IRGC-QF commander, Brig. Gen. Abdul Reza Shahlai, is responsible for overseeing coordination with the Houthis. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is said to have the final say in approving military affairs in Yemen.

The Houthis' recent escalations have prompted the U.S. Treasury Department to re-designate the entity as a Specially Designated Terror Group in February 2024. Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, sees the supply of advanced weaponry to the Houthis as a sign of Iran's plans for a wider conflict in the region.

Taleblu emphasizes that Iran's relationship with the Houthis is crucial to its strategy against Israel, creating pressure and forcing Israel to expand its defense assets. He warns that this could lead to distance growing between America and Israel.

Ali Safavi of the Paris-based NCRI urges the international community to hold the IRGC-QF accountable for its role in destabilizing the region and calls for designating the IRGC as a terrorist entity. Such a move would hinder its financial and operational capabilities, legitimize resistance against it, and send a strong message to the Iranian people.