Russia is preparing to transfer missiles and military equipment to the Houthis – CNN

Russia was preparing to send missiles and other military equipment to Yemen’s Houthi rebels late last month but backed off due to behind-the-scenes efforts by the United States and Saudi Arabia. CNN reported this on Friday, August 3, citing its own sources.

It is understood that the United States, which has engaged in several diplomatic efforts to stop Russian arms supplies to Iran-backed rebels, has separately asked the Saudis to help persuade Moscow not to continue these efforts.

“The Saudis warned Russia against arming one of its main adversaries,” the journalists pointed out.

The US-Saudi negotiations and the upcoming arms transfer have not been reported before. The Saudi Arabian embassy in the United States declined to comment, and the Kremlin did not respond to a request for comment.

The US famously designated the Houthis a global terrorist organization in January, following months of Houthi missile and drone attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea that killed several sailors and disrupted global trade.

CNN’s source said the US views any attempt by a third party to increase arms supplies to the Houthis “as contrary to the goals we are pursuing” when it comes to achieving a lasting peace in Yemen between the Houthis and Saudis and stabilization. in the region. He added that the Houthis are “walking away from commitments to achieving peace negotiations in Yemen.”

It has been suggested that the Russians viewed arming and consulting the Houthis as “a way to take revenge on the Biden administration for its decision to allow Ukraine to strike Russian territory with weapons provided by the United States.”

And even as the arms transfer has been disrupted, Russia has deployed a military contingent to Yemen to advise the Houthis.

The Houthis began their almost daily attacks on ships traveling in the Red Sea in November 2023, prompting the US and UK to launch several rounds of air strikes in Yemen to try to dismantle their infrastructure weapon

Let us remind you that the Yemeni Houthis said that they attacked the container ship Lobivia, sailing under the flag of Singapore through the Gulf of Aden, with ballistic missiles and drones.

It was earlier reported that the Yemeni Houthis attacked two tankers with Russian cargo in the Red Sea.