Iran's Revolutionary Guards Direct Houthi Red Sea Offensive, Seek New Front Against U.S.

According to Jin10, the Houthi offensive along Yemen's Red Sea coast this week was directly guided by Iran's Revolutionary Guards, which sought to open a new front in the war between Iran and the United States. Yemeni government, Iranian, and regional sources said the Houthis strengthened their control over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait by seizing the southwestern port city of Mocha, further tightening global energy supplies after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz. Two Iranian sources said Iran told the Houthis last week to escalate attacks on Saudi Arabia and promised more funding, weapons, and senior officers to help. Although Iran describes the Houthis as allies, it has publicly denied providing them with military guidance and said they are "not proxies." A regional diplomat briefed by Tehran said several senior Revolutionary Guards commanders had traveled to Yemen after weeks of discussions on military strategy to oversee and direct Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.