US Center: Houthis assume cross-border role within Tehran’s network, ally with Iraqi militias

The American Wilson Center spoke about the Houthis in Yemen assuming a cross-border role within Tehran’s regional network through their alliance with Iraqi militias, considering Iraq “the right place” for the Houthi leadership to access Iranian military advisors as well as to enable the Houthis to recruit non-Yemeni fighters to join their cause.

The analysis, translated by "Yemeni Youth Net", said that the Houthis, after focusing on fighting for control of Yemen, have now become among the most active members of the "Axis of Resistance" led by Iran. Since October 7, the Houthis have increasingly been working in coordination with other armed groups.

The increased military cooperation between the Houthis and Iraqi factions follows a statement in May by the Houthis’ Iraqi branch and Kataib Hezbollah, a major Iraqi militia, calling for greater cooperation within the Axis of Resistance, a sprawling network of Iranian-backed militias spread across the Middle East.

According to the center, the Houthis appear to want to be more involved in collective action. They are increasingly seeking to portray themselves as a key member of the axis, and are pushing for closer ties with other members.

The Houthis and Iraqi armed groups have had relatively long-standing ties, dating back at least to 2015 when the Yemeni group reportedly sent a representative to expand bilateral political and security ties with Iraqi factions. But the nature of the relationship has deepened.

Recently, the Houthis sent a new representative to Baghdad, Abu Idris al-Sharafi. One of his main tasks is to solicit financial support for the Houthi cause from Iraqi Shiite tribes and factions. Iraq is also a convenient location for the Houthi leadership to access Iranian military advisers and to enable the Houthis to recruit non-Yemeni fighters to join their cause.

The group teamed up with Iraqi factions in 2019 when it targeted Saudi Aramco operations. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the drone attack, but it likely originated in southern Iraq or Iran.

The analysis suggested that cooperation between the Houthis and the Iraqi factions is increasing, noting that Iran appears to be more supportive of the Houthis' aggressive stance since Israel's assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.

He said that by increasingly linking the Houthis to Iraqi factions, Tehran seeks greater flexibility for its axis as well as a greater role for the Yemeni group within its network.

Despite the rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2023, the analysis argues that Tehran needs the Houthis as a deterrent against a potential formal Saudi-US defense alliance. Meanwhile, for the Houthis, a larger profile within the axis provides them leverage against Riyadh after the Yemeni government suspended peace talks with the Saudis.

“For the Houthis, the expanded partnership with Iraqi factions is seen as a boost to their image domestically,” he said. “The group has recently been facing popular discontent over economic failures such as unpaid salaries, soaring inflation, and the relocation of Yemen’s central bank from Sanaa to Aden, which remains under the control of a rival Yemeni government.”

By building closer ties with Iraqi factions, the Houthis may hope to influence the Saudis and the central Yemeni government to change policies, the analysis suggests. Close ties with Iraq also complement growing Houthi influence in Oman and Lebanon and surround Saudi Arabia, the Houthis’ main enemy, with potential flashpoints.