Iran's Support Key to Houthi Missile Threat, Analyst Claims

The Houthi movement in Yemen has released footage purportedly showing the destruction of a Saudi-backed "Yemeni army" armored column in the Jawf province. The article argues that the internationally recognized Yemeni government lacks a conventional army, instead relying on a fragmented coalition of tribal militias, Salafists, Muslim Brotherhood elements from the Islah party, supporters of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and mercenaries. These factions are described as being in constant conflict with each other, further complicated by Saudi-Qatari rivalries, with Islah aligning with Qatar and others with Saudi Arabia. The Muslim Brotherhood is noted as the most motivated fighting force within this coalition.

In contrast, the Houthis are said to possess the professional Yemeni army, which defected to their side in 2014 with most of its personnel and weaponry. The author asserts that this professional army was once the strongest on the Arabian Peninsula, and the Saudi-backed forces are unlikely to defeat the Houthis due to internal disunity, lack of popular support, and corruption. These forces are perceived by many Yemenis as foreign proxies, with Saudi Arabia viewed as an occupier and an agent of the US and Israel.

The article suggests that the only effective way for Washington, Tel Aviv, and Gulf monarchies to counter the Houthis is to focus on crippling Iran through military pressure, intensified blockades, and efforts to destabilize its regime. Simultaneously, they should cut off Iranian supply lines to the Houthis and conduct intelligence-driven sabotage operations against Houthi weapons depots and missile sites. The author posits that without Iranian support, the Houthi missile threat would eventually diminish as their stockpiles deplete, as they are only capable of assembling missiles from imported components, not manufacturing them from scratch.

Directly confronting the Houthis on the ground through foreign intervention is deemed a "futile endeavor" due to Yemen's mountainous terrain and the Houthis' experienced, professional army with sophisticated command and intelligence capabilities.