Yemeni Houthis, backed by Iran, have evolved into a formidable military force, according to the UN.
The Yemeni Houthi rebels have evolved from a local armed group with limited capabilities into a powerful military organization supported by Iran, Iraqi armed factions, Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, and others. This was reported by the Associated Press, citing a UN Security Council report, as noted by UNN.
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It is noted that the Iran-backed Houthis have leveraged the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip to gain popularity both regionally and beyond, as stated by experts monitoring sanctions against the Houthis in a 537-page report to the UN Security Council.
To support Hamas, the Houthis are attacking vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, violating global shipping rules in this key geopolitical region.
Despite the Houthis' claims that their targets would be vessels associated with Israel, the commission stated that its investigations revealed the rebels are indiscriminately striking ships.
Data analysis from the International Maritime Organization, the US, and the UK showed that from November 15, 2023, to July 31, 2024, there were at least 134 attacks on commercial and merchant vessels, as well as US and UK military ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, originating from Houthi-controlled areas.
Experts stated that during their attacks, the Houthis used a new ballistic missile, the “Hathem-2.”
UN experts indicated that the Yemeni conflict, which began as an internal struggle and escalated into a regional confrontation, “has now transformed into a major international crisis.”
According to experts, the number of Houthi militants is currently estimated at 350,000, compared to 220,000 in 2022 and 30,000 in 2015.
Experts stated that this transformation was made possible due to the transfer of military equipment and training conducted by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps elite forces, Hezbollah, and Iraqi specialists and technicians.