(New York, N.Y.) — At the beginning of this month, Houthi rebels took responsibility for three rocket and drone attacks aimed at Israel “in support of their oppressed brothers in Palestine,” according to Houthi spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree. The common thread between Hamas terrorists launching attacks on Israel and the Houthi rebels who seized the Yemeni capital in 2014 is a steady flow of resources from the Islamic Republic of Iran. To further elucidate these connections, the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) today released the third in a series of reports examining Houthi operations and, in particular, the logistical factors that equipped Houthi rebels to launch volleys of rockets toward Israel.
To read the full report, How the Houthis Built Their Arsenal: Defense and Intelligence Procurement, please click here.
The Houthi military support apparatus is primarily organized through senior leadership with connections abroad who leverage relationships with Iran to offset their lack of an industrial apparatus. The recent unveiling of the Houthi rockets – the Toufan, Tankeel, Aqeel, and Quds-4 – all closely resemble Iran’s suite of medium to long-range missile systems. This is no surprise, as Iran has a rich history of providing direct military support to the Houthi insurgency.
The report further identifies six critical logistics officers and several companies chiefly responsible for moving these weapons and equipment into Yemen. They constitute the primary logistical apparatus for managing weapons-smuggling through groups like the Wadi Kabir Company. This organization was exposed in March 2023 while attempting to transport 52 anti-tank guided missiles in hollowed-out generators from Oman to warehouses in Sanaa.
The Houthi’s establishment of a missile apparatus that is diversified and allows targeting beyond Yemen and within the region is a step towards establishing a terror hub in the Middle East. Shining light on these networks is the first step for the international community to address their potential to further escalate regional violence. It is paramount that the entities facilitating such logistic and supply operations are continuously targeted through multilateral sanctions to draw awareness to the widespread smuggling in the region and to encourage enhanced monitoring and disruption of supply chains that allow for the movement of these rockets and components towards the Houthi arsenal.
Read the full report, How the Houthis Built Their Arsenal: Defense and Intelligence Procurement, by clicking here.
To read the previous report in this series, The Houthis’ Use of Technology for Repression, please click here.
To read the previous report in this series, How The Houthis Funded Terror Groups After Seizing Yemen’s Capital, please click here.