Iran Threatens Britain Over UK Airbase Used in US Strikes, Sends Military Aid to Yemen Houthi Rebels

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a warning to Britain on Thursday, declaring that any base used to launch attacks on Iranian territory is a legitimate target for their forces. This statement followed US airstrikes on Iran, which Iran claimed involved bombers that took off from the Royal Air Force base at Fairford in the UK.

Simultaneously, Reuters reported that on July 13, Iran transferred IRGC commanders, military advisors, and missile and drone-related equipment to Yemen to bolster the Houthi rebels' capabilities. The transfer occurred via a Mahan Air flight initially destined for Sanaa but diverted to the port city of Hodeidah after an airport attack. Sources, including two Iranian officials, Yemen's Information Minister Muammar Al-Eryani, and a regional security analyst, confirmed the presence of 10 to 21 IRGC personnel, including senior commanders, on the flight. Their mission was to assist the Houthis with training on new missile systems. The plane reportedly also carried gold intended to finance Houthi operations.

This development comes amid escalating tensions in the Red Sea, where the Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, targeting vessels transporting Saudi oil through the Bab al-Mandab Strait. As a result, Saudi ships have been forced to take longer, costlier routes via the Suez Canal. According to Reuters, three days after the Iranian flight, Tehran instructed the Houthis to close the Red Sea oil route if the US attacked Iranian power infrastructure. The Houthis announced the maritime blockade on Monday in retaliation for an airstrike on Yemen's airport.

Yemen's Information Minister confirmed intelligence reports of Iranian military personnel and equipment transfers to Houthi-controlled areas, aimed at enhancing their military strength and threatening international maritime security in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait. Security analyst Mazahim Al-Saloum corroborated the arrival of IRGC experts and noted the cargo included short- and medium-range missile components and drone parts.

Earlier in July, the Houthis launched a direct flight route between Sanaa and Tehran. Iran claimed the flight was to return a Houthi delegation and Yemeni civilians who had received medical treatment in Iran, but sources told Reuters that alongside passengers, IRGC members and military equipment were also transported.