Iran helping Houthis target Saudi Arabia, WSJ report claims

Iran is providing Yemen’s Houthi movement with intelligence, military training and advanced weapons to support attacks against Saudi Arabia, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, highlighting growing security concerns across the Middle East.

The report, citing sources familiar with intelligence assessments in Saudi Arabia and the coalition opposing the Houthis in Yemen, said Tehran was helping the group identify targets and develop military strategies for operations against the kingdom.

Iran is also reportedly assisting the Houthis with drones, missiles, radar systems and other military equipment, strengthening their ability to conduct increasingly sophisticated attacks.

According to the newspaper, members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are also present alongside Houthi fighters on frontline positions. The report said the group’s increasingly advanced military tactics suggested that Iranian training and technical assistance had played a significant role in developing its capabilities.

The alleged cooperation could give Tehran another way to exert pressure across the region through allied armed groups, presenting additional challenges for the United States and its Gulf partners.

A former head of the Iran division of Israeli military intelligence told the newspaper that Tehran had a strong interest in Houthi successes, arguing that the two sides’ interests had become closely intertwined.

However, the report also noted that the Houthis maintain their independence and insist on making their own decisions. The movement manufactures some of its weapons domestically and continues to prioritise its own political and military objectives within Yemen.

The newspaper further reported that the Houthis had remained outside the US-Iran war until the summer, although their position in the widening regional conflict has attracted increasing attention.

A separate report suggested that the group was also obtaining certain components for its drones and missiles from China, indicating that its military supply network may extend beyond Iran.

Tehran rejects allegations

Iran has denied involvement in Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, rejecting accusations that it is directing or supporting the operations.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran rejected allegations concerning its role in military activities in Yemen.

He also indicated that Iran would be willing to help mediate a peaceful resolution to the Yemeni crisis if the parties involved requested assistance.

The competing claims come as tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis intensify, raising concerns about the potential expansion of the Yemen conflict and its impact on regional security.

While the Wall Street Journal report points to extensive Iranian support, the allegations have not been independently established in the information provided, and Tehran continues to deny involvement in the attacks.