April 21, 2015 | Quote

Iranian Support for Yemen’s Houthis Goes Back Years

Iran has long supported Houthi rebels in Yemen with arms, training and financing.

Now, as a convoy of Iranian ships heads toward Yemen's Gulf of Aden, a U.S. carrier group is headed there as well to intercept any potential weapons transfers to the rebels, who have seized much of Yemen territory and are fighting the U.S.-backed government there, according to the Pentagon.

Iran's involvement in Yemen goes back years, and ranges from political and religious support for Houthi leaders to military training and active involvement in the fighting, according to media reports and Yemen analysts.

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David Weinberg, a Yemen watcher at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a think tank in Washington, said the Houthis could not have conquered Sanaa without massive support from Iran.

“Tehran does not exercise command and control over Ansar Allah (the Houthi militia),” Weinberg said. “But credible reports confirm that it has been providing on-the-ground advising …training overseas, major sums of money and weapons by the literal ton.”

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Issues:

Iran