The Wall Street Journal: Russia provided satellite data to Yemen’s Houthis for attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea – Meduza

Yemen used Russian satellite data to launch drone and missile attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea. About this reports The Wall Street Journal, citing sources, including representatives of the defense ministries of European countries.

According to one of the interlocutors of the publication, the data was transmitted through members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran.

Sources noted that Russian satellite data helped the Houthis “expand the scope of their strikes.”

Russian authorities did not comment on The Wall Street Journal’s publication.

The Houthis began launching missile and drone strikes against commercial ships in the Red Sea after the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in late 2023. Since last November, the Houthis have attacked took more than 100 ships, sinking two and capturing one, according to WSJ estimates. The attacks caused major disruption to global trade as shipping companies and carriers were forced to divert their ships to other routes.

Reuters, citing Western and regional sources, said that Russia, through the mediation of Iran, is conducting secret negotiations with the Yemeni Houthis on the supply of P-800 Onyx anti-ship cruise missiles. These missiles, with a range of about 300 kilometers, will allow the Houthis to hit commercial ships more precisely in the Red Sea and increase the threat to US and European warships.

According to CNN, Russia was preparing to provide missiles and military equipment to the Yemeni Houthis at the end of July, but abandoned these plans at the last minute after warnings from Saudi Arabia. According to the channel’s sources, the Russian authorities saw arming and advising the Houthis as a way to take revenge on the Biden administration for its decision to allow Ukraine to carry out strikes on the territory of​​​​ Russia using American weapons.