US Institute: Iran uses Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea to serve its national agendas

An American institute spoke about the connection between the Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Iranian national and international strategic agendas, stressing that the current attacks on maritime targets in the Red Sea are coordinated with Iran to ensure that nothing deviates from Tehran's intentions.

According to a report by the American Baker Institute, translated by "Yemeni Youth Net", "Iran and the Houthis formed a strategic alliance aimed at consolidating Iran's influence as a military power with naval capabilities."

“Iran’s partnership with the Houthis serves multiple purposes, including enhancing Iran’s strategic depth in regional conflicts and providing retaliatory capability against potential seizures of Iranian oil tankers,” he said.

He saw that supporting the Houthis is part of Iran's grand strategy to establish itself as a naval military power in the region and beyond in order to protect the flow of its oil exports in light of sanctions.

Through the Houthis’ strategic location in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, Iran seeks to gain influence in regional conflicts, confront US pressure in the region, circumvent US sanctions, and take revenge if its oil tankers are seized in the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, or other areas.

Iran, which does not want to start a full-scale confrontation with Israel, has been able to use the Houthis as a low-risk way to express its support for Hamas, the report said. Yemen is geographically far enough from Israel that most of the Houthi missiles Iran has provided have been unable to cause significant damage.

He also saw what he described as the Houthis’ “strategic use” of naval attacks as a means of enhancing their soft power at the national and international levels. They seek to gain local political capital in the hope of consolidating their control over Yemen, which confirms their willingness to exploit regional conflicts, such as the ongoing war in Gaza, and cause maritime disturbances.

He added that international efforts, such as Operation Guardian of Prosperity, aim to counter Houthi attacks, but face challenges in achieving long-term regional stability.

He also pointed out that Egypt is suffering from deep economic repercussions as a result of the attacks, which affected economic lifelines, such as the Suez Canal, and caused concern among partners, such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

There are several possible motivations for the Houthis’ maritime attacks, the report said. The group still needs resources, including access to ports and food and fuel shipments. However, these considerations pale in comparison to the soft power they may gain.

The nine-year war in Yemen has been in a fragile stalemate since a formal truce between the Houthis and the Saudi-led military coalition expired in late 2022, but internally the Houthis’ position has begun to unravel in areas under their control.

While this violent campaign is nominally motivated by aid to Palestine and is in line with the Houthis’ long-standing denunciation of Jews, Israel, and the United States, there is an undercurrent of opportunism that the Houthis have exploited since late 2023.