- August 4, 2024
- 4:34 pm
- Middle East
Russian military intelligence officers may have been sent to Yemen to help Iran-backed Houthis attack merchant ships in the Red Sea, a Qatari outlet reports. Middle East Eye August 2, 2024, citing a senior US official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
According to Middle East Eye, Russian military intelligence officers from the GRU have been deployed to Yemen to help the Iranian-backed Houthis target commercial shipping in the Red Sea. A US official said GRU officers have been in Houthi-held areas of Yemen for months, advising on attacks on commercial shipping. The Houthis claim the attacks are in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
The deployment of Russian intelligence officers is linked to Russia's plans to increase support for the Houthis. In June, Middle East Eye reported that President Putin had considered supplying the Houthis with anti-ship cruise missiles, but was dissuaded by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The presence of Russian troops on the side of the Houthis increases tensions in the region and represents strategic support from Russia to strengthen its allies in Yemen and the region as a whole.
Middle East Eye reports that The Wall Street Journal confirmed the information about Russia possibly arming the Houthis, but noted that the US is concerned about the potential provision of weapons to the Houthis as a way to pressure the US not to allow Ukraine to strike Russian territory.
According to Samuel Ramani, an expert on Russian foreign policy in the Middle East and Africa at the Royal United Services Institute, “if Russia decides to provide weapons to the Houthis, the first step would be to deploy technical advisers on the ground.” He added that it could also be a sign of deeper cooperation, given Saudi concerns.
The US expects Iran's “axial coalition of resistance,” including the Houthis, Hezbollah and Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, to play a more prominent role in the retaliatory strike against Israel.
In July, according to Middle East Eye, Russia's top diplomat for the Middle East, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, met in Moscow with a Houthi delegation led by their representative Mohamed Abdel Salam.
Middle East Eye reports that the Houthis began targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea shortly after Hamas attacks on southern Israel on October 7. They claim the attacks are in response to Israel's offensive on Gaza.
Since January, the US has been bombing the Houthis, but that has not stopped them. The Houthis say ships linked to Russia, Iran and China are safe in the Red Sea, although Russian cargo has been attacked.
Analysts say the attacks highlight the Houthis’ difficulty in discerning global trade routes and their limitations in maritime intelligence. Gen. Frank McKinzie, former commander of U.S. Central Command, said Putin could use tensions in the Middle East to pressure the U.S. to support Ukraine, adding: “There is a connection between Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Red Sea.”
Russia’s support for the Houthis, including the possible deployment of GRU officials to Yemen to improve intelligence, confirms Russia’s interest in the region. Samuel Ramani noted that “it makes sense that Putin would want people on the ground to track Houthi targets and ensure the safety of Russian ships.”
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