US intelligence reports that Houthi insurgents supported by Iran are attempting to increase their arsenal in preparation for missile strikes in the Red Sea.
The strikes against ships in the vicinity have escalated dramatically. US sources have said that the rebel group is reportedly prepared to launch a strike against Western soldiers. According to the data, the rebels have been meticulously planning their attack on the precise timing of when they would increase their strikes and how they will acquire the required supplies.
There is fear that in the following weeks, extremists may get even more deadly weaponry from Tehran. The United States Navy Seals intercepted a small boat carrying ballistic and anti-ship missiles earlier this month, preventing the Houthis from receiving any further weaponry from Iran.
Iran has supported the Houthis and supplied them with all the resources they needed, including weapons, training, and money.
According to a US official, these supplies indicate that Tehran is actively involved in the ongoing situation in the Red Sea.
If the Houthis carry out more attacks, the United States and the United Kingdom will be deeply entangled in the Middle Eastern crisis. The Houthis have been trying to justify their assaults on ships by claiming they are helping the Palestinians in Gaza and want Israel to end the war.
According to Houthi spokesperson Muhammed al-Bukhaiti, all vessels in the vicinity are secure so long as they are not connected to Israel. He criticized the US and UK for their involvement in the operations against Gaza.
However, some believe Iran is trying to use the present situation to get US forces out of the Middle East by funding rebel groups in the area.
According to Behnam Ben Taleblu of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Iran also has a more localized logic at play in addition to pressuring the United States to cease Israel’s conflict against Hamas.
