Iran-backed Fighters Join Forces to Threaten Gulf Region with Advanced Attacks

Iran-backed fighters in Yemen and Iraq are forming an alliance to threaten the Gulf region. According to regional officials, this new level of coordination was demonstrated by a recent drone attack on Saudi oil facilities that was planned and executed with the help of the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The Houthis, who have been smuggling in advanced weaponry for years, have been attacking Saudi oil facilities and tankers in the Red Sea. The attacks have forced Saudi Arabia to adopt a 'dark' transit policy, including turning off tracking signals on oil tankers in the Red Sea, according to ACLED.

The Houthi blockade has ramped up pressure on Saudi Arabia, which is now shipping more oil north to the Suez Canal and Egypt's SUMED pipeline. The Houthis have also shown they can target this route, striking a Saudi tanker in the northern Red Sea with a missile last month.

Regional officials say Iran is using its allies in Iraq and Yemen to threaten American allies in the Gulf, aiming to drive up the costs of the war launched by the U.S. and Israel in February. A new American effort to economically isolate Iran could spark further escalation.