Houthis and Iraqis Unite Against US Allies

Iran is forging a new ring of proxies to threaten US allies in the Gulf, according to regional officials. The Houthis and Iraqi militias have formed an alliance, showing a new level of coordination between them.

The Houthi involvement in the July drone attack on Saudi oil facilities was confirmed by two Saudi officials, citing intelligence. A senior Iraqi security official also confirmed that Houthi emissaries worked with Iraqi militias in an operations room.

Saudi Arabia and the US responded to the drone attack with joint airstrikes, killing at least 20 Iraqi fighters, six Iranian advisers, and one Houthi official. The Houthis have been targeting Saudi oil facilities and tankers in the Red Sea since late July, forcing Saudi Arabia to adopt a 'dark' transit policy.

The Houthis have an array of advanced weaponry, including cruise and ballistic missiles, drones, and unmanned submarines. They have been smuggling these weapons for years, circumventing the blockade and a UN arms embargo. Iran denies arming the rebels, but Iranian-made weaponry has been found on the battlefield and in intercepted shipments.