Yemen is more unstable than ever. At a time when Al Houthi militants are reeling under heavy losses in key areas such as Nehim and Taiz, Iran is continuing its patronage of the group. Apart from supplying them with advanced weapons and military advisers, Iran has stepped up its efforts to boost the weakened Al Houthi forces. Several regional and western reports have pointed out that senior Iranian officials have been scrambling to look at ways to “empower” the militants further as part of a new strategy.
This is nothing but a sign of Iran’s apparent unease and skittishness over advances made by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in Yemen. Since the beginning of this year, sophisticated equipment has been used by the rebels. A Saudi frigate was attacked near the Al Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah (towards end-January). Al Houthi militants have deployed Qasef-1 drones as recently as last month. In addition to the weapons, Tehran has started providing specialists to train Al Houthi units and act as logistical advisers. While the international community is making concerted efforts towards a solution of the two-year-old conflict, Iran’s role as a disruptive agent in Yemen continues unabated.
What is more, a man-made famine has hit parts of the impoverished country, prompting the International Committee of the Red Cross to make an SOS call that the world has very little time to save hundreds of thousands of lives. There is an urgent need to bring emergency assistance to the desperate population — a situation further exacerbated by Iran’s nefarious designs in the Arab country. Yemen is stuck in a quagmire with Iran aiding and abetting the deadly fighting and the threat of famine.
