Iranian arms and advice helped Yemen's Houthis seize key Red Sea city, sources say

Iranian arms and advice have played a significant role in the recent advance of the Houthi rebels in Yemen's Red Sea region, according to sources. The lightning-fast Houthi advance down Yemen's Red Sea coast this week was fueled by direct guidance from Iran's Revolutionary Guards, who aim to open a new front in the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, according to Yemeni government, Iranian, and regional sources.

Iran had instructed the Houthis to intensify their attacks on Saudi Arabia, a close US ally, and had promised additional funding, weapons, and senior officers to aid them in this endeavor, as per two Iranian sources. Several high-ranking Revolutionary Guards commanders had already journeyed to Yemen to oversee and command Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia following weeks of strategic discussions, as reported by a regional diplomat briefed by Tehran.

According to a third Iranian source, an official, Iran held several meetings with allies, including the Houthis, and the recent success on Mocha, a key Red Sea city, was primarily a Houthi decision rather than an Iranian one. However, the Houthi victory has helped Iran by driving up oil prices and causing economic harm to the United States and Saudi Arabia. The information was reported by Reuters.