By Pishtaz | 2024-06-10

In recent months, the Iranian regime has attempted to distance itself from the Houthis' Red Sea attacks, rejecting allegations that it has been supplying the group with weapons, despite all evidence to the contrary.

But in a lengthy May 29 report celebrating "the achievement of anti-ship ballistic missile technology" and its transfer to the Houthis, the semi-official Tasnim news agency makes it clear Iran is directly backing the group.

In its report, Tasnim, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), begins by crediting the "martyr" Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, an IRGC Aerospace Force officer, who conceived Iran's ballistic missile project.

Moghaddam was killed in a November 12, 2011, arsenal explosion at the Alghadir missile base, along with 16 other members of the IRGC.

The report goes on to state that the Houthis now have "in their hands" a version of Iran's first anti-ship ballistic missile, the Ghadr (Qader), and that Iran is "molding" Houthi fighters through the transfer of technology to the group.

"Iran's technical know-how to produce such anti-ship missiles is now at the disposal of the Yemeni military forces," the news agency said.

"Patterned after the Iranian missile, Yemen's 'Muhit' (Ocean) missile is capable of detonating naval targets."

The Houthis have flaunted this missile in their military parades in Sanaa, along with other homemade air and sea missiles.

Support for 'axis'

The Iranian regime "has put technology transfer on its agenda in order to make the resistance groups more powerful," the Tasnim report says, in reference to the so-called "axis of resistance" of Iran-aligned proxy groups across the region.

"Iran has empowered the resistance groups by providing them with modern technologies. Such policy has led to the formation of an integrated command and control center in the region, specifically in the drone and missile sectors."

"The revelation is significant as it confirms that Tehran has been arming its proxy forces in Yemen with advanced ballistic missiles," Iran International reported, noting that this enhances the Houthis' capability to target maritime vessels.

Tehran unveiled the Ghadr missile in 2007, per the CSIS Missile Defense Project.

On June 3, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said the group had targeted a military site for the first time in the Israeli city of Eilat with a new ballistic missile.

The Houthis described the missile as "locally made," but the group "is not known to possess the ability to manufacture complicated missile and guidance systems locally in Yemen," the Associated Press reported.

The attack set off air raid sirens but caused no reported damage or injuries.

On June 6, the Houthis launched one anti-ship ballistic missile from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen over the Red Sea, the US military said.