Putin Contemplates Arming Houthis With Cruise Missiles: Report (X image@CheburekiMan)
Russian President Vladimir Putin is contemplating to unlock another headache for the West. Reportedly, he is mulling on arming Houthis with Russian cruise missiles. Citing an unnamed senior US official, Middle East Eye (MEE) said that Putin is considering to supply anti-ship ballistic missiles to the Yemeni group.
Russia has been coordinating with the Houthis as part of its growing connection with Iran. Moscow started to seek new and deeper alliances among the anti-Western powers after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Since Gaza war started on October 7th last year, Houthis have been attacking commercial shipping passing through Red Sea. The Iran-aligned group has been attacking military vessels of the West operating in the region. The Yemeni organisation vowed to continue and expand the attacks unless Israel call quits to its vicious war in Gaza.
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Earlier this year, the Houthis vowed not to target Russian or Chinese vessels. In March, Ali al-Qahoum, member of Houthi political bureau said there is “a constant cooperation and development of relations between Yemen, Russia, China, and other BRICS states, as well as an exchange of knowledge and experience in various areas”, as quoted by News Week.
Qahoum said the relation between the countries is necessary to drown US, and the West in the crisis around the Red Sea, to weaken them, and unable to maintain the unipolarity.
The BRICS were earlier comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The ranks expanded when Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, and the UAE became its members.
The Houthis are believed to possess Russian made P-800 Oniks supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles, acquired through Syria and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Russian news agency Novosti reported that the Houthis has begun producing its own hypersonic missile.
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US dismissed the report of hypersonic missiles. “Look, on the hypersonic thing, those reports are inaccurate. There is absolutely no indication that the Houthis have access to a hypersonic weapon. So, I can walk you off of that”, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.
A former senior Middle East analyst at the CIA, William Usher, told MEE that the fragile atmosphere of a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah “would likely deepen the military collaboration between Iran and Russia to bolster Hezbollah’s defence capabilities”. He said there are already indications that Moscow is considering how it might assist the Houthis.
According to MEE, the one who is seeking to dissuade such move is Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. According to the report, the Saudi leader spoke with Putin against the idea of sending new missiles to the Houthis.
