Iran was "deeply involved" in Yemen's Houthis’ operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea and its intelligence was critical to facilitate the attacks, the White House said on Friday.
"We know that Iran was deeply involved in planning the operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea. This is consistent with Iran's long-term materiel support and encouragement of the Houthis' destabilizing actions in the region," White House national security spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement. "This is an international challenge that demands collective action.”
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are providing real-time intelligence and weaponry, including drones and missiles. Citing Western and regional security officials, the report read, "Tracking information gathered by a Red Sea surveillance vessel controlled by Iran’s paramilitary forces is given to the Houthis, who have used it to attack commercial vessels passing through the Bab el-Mandeb strait in recent days."
“The Houthis don’t have the radar technology to target the ships. They need Iranian assistance. Without it, the missiles would just drop in the water," said a Western security official.
Tensions are escalating in the region as Iran-backed Houthis increase attacks on shipping, targeting commercial vessels with drones and missiles ostensibly to exert pressure on Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The attacks are forcing shippers to change course and take longer routes around the southern tip of Africa.
Hamas, another Iran-backed militia group, launched a multipronged war against Israel on October 7, killing about 1,400 mostly civilians with 240 hostages taken into Gaza. Israel has been pounding the coastal sliver to uproot Hamas, which says 20,000 people have been killed in the retaliatory offensive. The conflict is spiraling out across the region as other Iranian proxies have intensified attacks against Israeli and US targets.
The US last week announced a naval coalition involving 20 countries aimed at helping safeguard vessels from attacks in the Red Sea. Some of the countries involved have said operations to protect commercial traffic will be as part of existing naval agreements. Hours after Washington launched the multinational force, Houthis threatened to ‘sink’ US warships.