Iran urges Houthis to ready Red Sea shipping attacks amid US tensions

Investing.com -- Iran is pushing the Houthis to prepare for a renewed campaign against Red Sea shipping if the US escalates its military actions against Iran, according to European officials familiar with the matter, Bloomberg News reported Monday.

Leaders of the Yemen-based Houthis, a militant group backed by Iran, are weighing options for more aggressive action after launching ballistic missiles at Israel, the people said, asking not to be named discussing sensitive matters.

There are divisions within the Houthis’ leadership about how aggressive to be, which partly explains why the group only entered the conflict a month into it, the people said.

In an announcement Saturday, the Houthis said they would continue military operations until US-Israeli attacks on Iran and its proxy groups, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, cease. The group did not specifically say they would target tankers or other vessels transiting the Red Sea.

US and Saudi Arabian officials have told European allies they believe the group wants to avoid further escalation and attacks on American and Saudi assets for now, the people said.

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