Russia provided satellite targeting data to the Houthis in Yemen, aiding the Iran-backed terrorist group’s missile and drone attacks on Western ships in the Red Sea this year, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
The Houthis used the targeting data, which was funneled through members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stationed in Yemen, to coordinate and expand strikes on ships along the vital global trade route, according to an individual familiar with the matter and two European defense officials.
The Houthis began targeting Western ships in the Red Sea late last year in retaliation for Israel’s war against Hamas. Since then, the militants have attacked over 100 vessels, sinking two and hijacking another, the Journal reported. Analysts said Russia’s involvement in the attacks is further indication of its efforts to stoke instability in the Middle East and divert Western attention from the conflict in Ukraine.
"For Russia, any flare up anywhere is good news, because it takes the world’s attention further away from Ukraine and the U.S. needs to commit resources—Patriot systems or artillery shells—and with the Middle East in play, it’s clear where the U.S. will choose," said Alexander Gabuev, director of the Berlin-based Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.
The Houthi attacks have severely disrupted global trade, forcing many ships to instead go around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. Tanker traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which links the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean, dropped by 77 percent in August compared to last October, according to maritime-intelligence company Windward.
In December, the United States spearheaded a naval coalition to escort ships in the region, spending around $1 billion by April on ammunition to counter Houthi drones and missiles.
Houthi terrorists also purchased weapons from Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was released by the Biden-Harris administration in exchange for U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner, the Journal reported this month.