Not only is the Iranian regime showing no sign of backing down from its destabilizing behavior in Yemen and its support for the Houthi militia group, it is actually escalating the conflict through its proxy.
One prominent example is how the Houthis have ratcheted up their attacks on Saudi Arabia. Even US officials have acknowledged the escalation, with a senior defense official telling NBC News: “We’re certainly aware of a troubling increase in Houthi cross-border attacks from a variety of systems, including cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles).” The US, along with France, Germany, Italy and the UK, also last week condemned the “major escalation of attacks the Houthis have conducted and claimed against Saudi Arabia.”
More than 40 drones and missiles were launched at Saudi Arabia by the Houthis in February alone. The sophisticated weapons the militia group is using have most likely come from the Iranian regime. Based on a UN report released in January, there are strong signs that Tehran is a provider of weapons to the Houthis. The UN panel of experts report stated: “An increasing body of evidence suggests that individuals or entities in Iran supply significant volumes of weapons and components to the Houthis.” Iran relies mostly on the sea route to smuggle weapons to the Houthis, although several shipments bound for war-torn Yemen have been seized.
Read the complete article at: Arab News