Russia aided Houthi rebels in Yemen targeting shipping through the Red Sea, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
The data used to target ships with missiles and drones came earlier this year from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stationed in Yemen.
The newspaper in the report cited “a person familiar with the matter” and two anonymous European defense officials.
The Iran-backed Houthis began targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea shortly after the Oct. 7 terror attacks by Hamas on Israel.The Houthis claimed solidarity with Palestinian efforts to establish an independent state.
Instead of using the Suez Canal, the attacks have led ocean carriers to re-route container ships and tanker vessels around the Cape of Good Hope off the coast of Africa. This has meant longer voyages and higher shipping rates — an unexpected benefit as Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, among other lines, have raised their earnings guidance for the year.
A naval coalition of U.S. and British forces in response have bombed Houthi targets in Yemen.
Published reports said four sailors have been killed and four ships sunk in more than 100 Houthi attacks over the past year. One vessel and its crew hijacked in November, 2023 remain detained.
The Journal report follows a summit of the nine BRICS countries, including Russia, China, India and Iran, where Russian President Vladimir Putin told leaders that the Middle East was on the brink of war ahead of Israel’s expected response to a ballistic missile attack by Iran.
The conflict in Gaza started on Oct. 7, 2023 when Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel, killing 1,200 and taking 251 hostages.