Russia reportedly considers arming Houthis in response to US support for Ukraine

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The Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. security officials, reported on Friday that Russia is considering arming Houthi terrorists in Yemen with advanced anti-ship missiles in response to the U.S. military support for Ukraine.

Since November, the Iranian-backed Houthis, who support the terrorist organization Hamas, have emerged as a security threat to international shipping in the strategically important Red Sea region that connects much of the trade between Asia and Europe. The Houthis have, so far, damaged about 30 commercial ships and sunk two vessels. In addition, at least four international sailors have been killed in Houthi naval terrorist attacks.

Following the formation of an American-led international defense coalition to counter the Houthis, U.S., British and other forces have launched multiple attacks against Houthi targets in Yemen.

However, in a classified memo, U.S. Central Command (US CENTCOM) Chief Erik Kurilla reportedly warned U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that the American-led military operations against the Houthis were not effective. Kurilla, who heads U.S. forces in the Middle East, has reportedly called for more decisive military action in combination with a “whole of government” policy that would include more forceful financial and diplomatic pressure on the Houthis.

“Many people found the tone of the memo to be a bit shocking,” an unnamed U.S. defense official reportedly told The Wall Street Journal.

Kurilla has warned that more “US service members will die if we continue going this way,” stressing that more forceful action is needed in order to neutralize the Houthi threat to international trade.

During an official visit to North Korea in June, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that Russia is considering supplying weapons to nations that are hostile toward the United States, including North Korea.

"I said, including in Pyongyang, that we then reserve the right to supply weapons to other regions of the world. Taking into account our agreements with (North Korea), I do not exclude this either," Putin allegedly stated in the context of responding to Washington’s military supplies to Ukraine.

“The response can be asymmetrical, and we will think about that,” he added.

Russia’s potential arms transfer to the Houthis should be viewed within the wider context of growing military ties between Russia and the Houthis’ patron – the Iranian regime. Iran has provided large quantities of drones to Russia to use in the war against Ukraine. In exchange, Russia has offered to transfer advanced fighter jets to the aging Iranian Air Force.

According to two unnamed U.S. security officials who spoke to The Wall Street Journal, Russia has not yet transferred any advanced weapons to the Houthis. A military analyst assessed that a Russian delivery of advanced missiles “would represent a qualitative leap” for the Houthi terror forces.

The sources said Houthi officials have allegedly arrived in Moscow and a potential arms transfer could take place through informal Iranian smuggling routes.

Meanwhile, the Houthis continue to attack Israel directly from Yemen.

On Friday morning, the terror group launched a drone attack targeting the busy city of Tel Aviv.

The drone crashed into a building close to the U.S. Consulate and the Tel Aviv beachfront, killing one person and wounding an additional eight, the Israeli military announced. The Israeli army is currently investigating how the drone was able to penetrate the Israeli military's advanced aerial defense system.