Despite continued international warnings to the Houthis about the consequences of targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea, and following joint US-British attacks on their positions in Yemen, the pro-Iranian group appears determined to continue to threaten maritime shipping and to carry out its threat to respond to its targeting.
Yemeni sources say experts from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Lebanese Hezbollah, as well as the Houthis, have transferred ballistic and naval missiles from the Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, to the Hodeidah Governorate overlooking the southern Red Sea as part of a plan of their preparations to launch attacks on ships sailing from the region.
The sources explained that the missiles were transported on trucks passing on the main road connecting Sanaa and Hodeidah.
The active movements of the Houthis, Iranian experts and Lebanese Hezbollah reveal the Houthis’ intentions to respond and intensify efforts by carrying out attacks against American battleships and commercial vessels linked to countries participating in the “Guardian of Prosperity” coalition.
Hodeidah has a vast coastal strip south of the Red Sea, from there the Houthis launched missiles and drones against American commercial ships and military vessels and from there they also kidnapped the Galaxy Leader ship.
As regards the Taiz Governorate, especially the part under the control of the Houthis, it includes mountainous areas overlooking the Bab al-Mandab region, from which the Houthis are working to launch attack and reconnaissance missiles and drones towards the maritime route, where shipping traffic was significantly disrupted.
The missile transfer comes after an unknown bombing targeted a site at the naval base in the Al-Kathib area of Hodeidah in response to a Houthi missile launch towards the Red Sea.
Is the region preparing for a new conflict involving the Red Sea?
Speaking to the Sky News Arabia editorial team about the Houthis transferring their weapons to Hodeidah to respond to attacks on its territory, military and strategic expert Samir Ragheb underlines that the Houthis lost a quarter of their capabilities in the military attack on the coasts, according to what was published by the New York Times, adding:
- Al-Houthi has sought to supply its strategic area on the Yemeni coast with the necessary equipment and weapons following the attacks it received.
- Despite public movements by Houthi elements to transfer weapons, America does not launch pre-emptive strikes, but rather only responds to Houthi attacks by locating the missile launch site and destroying it.
- There is cooperation between the American and British sides in transferring information after targeting Houthi sites with airstrikes.
- The air strikes include targeting sites used for direct operations against U.S. tankers and shipping.
- Air operations will not be moved to the phase where they target decision centers and major warehouses.
- The military operations are a message from the United States to Iran, urging it to stop the Houthis from targeting ships and oil tankers.
2024-01-15 08:45:16
#Houthis #preparing #attacks