Houthis Build Missile Capabilities Through Iranian and Hezbollah Support

The Houthi movement in Yemen has transformed into a resilient military force capable of manufacturing its own sophisticated ballistic and cruise missiles. This development follows years of strategic support from Iran and the presence of Iranian and Hezbollah operatives in Sana'a, who provided essential training and military expertise.

To sustain this growth, the group utilized commercial supply chains from China and India to bypass United Nations verification mechanisms located in Djibouti. While the Houthis maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with Iran, they frequently act independently, specifically escalating tensions with Saudi Arabia to pressure the kingdom into granting economic concessions.

Leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi now positions himself as an equal within the axis of resistance, a network of anti-US and anti-Israeli groups that includes Iraqi militias and Hezbollah. Recent developments have raised concerns regarding potential Houthi alliances with factions in Sudan and al-Shabab in the Horn of Africa, which could threaten stability across the Bab el-Mandeb strait.