Iran Secretly Arms Houthi Rebels Ahead of Red Sea Oil Tanker Attacks

A recent report has revealed that Iran flew commanders and military gear to its Houthi terrorist proxies in Yemen before the group attacked oil tankers in the Red Sea. The move, which involved sending between 10 and 21 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel, including senior commanders, from Tehran to Yemen on July 13, was allegedly to support Houthi operations and provide training on new missile systems.

The IRGC commanders were said to have traveled with equipment such as missile and drone gear. The Iranian team also brought gold on the aircraft to fund Houthi activities. This development comes amid growing tensions in the region, with Iran already crippling passage through the Strait of Hormuz, which allows passage out of the Persian Gulf.

The Houthis' attacks have caused several ships to turn back along the critical trade route through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which connects the Red Sea to the wider ocean. The incident has also raised fears that the Houthis could attempt to shut down the Bab-el-Mandeb entirely, which would carry roughly 5% of the world's oil and connect to the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal in the north of the Red Sea.

President Trump vowed to hold Iran accountable for any more attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea. Brent crude rose by some 7% to $100.74 a barrel on Thursday morning, marking a dramatic 40% gain in the key benchmark this month.