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Nov 06, 2024

Russia Gave Houthis Satellite Data to Hit Red Sea Shipping: Report - Business Insider

Houthi rebels in Yemen used satellite data provided by Russia to target and attack commercial ships in the Red Sea, The Wall Street Journal reported. The outlet cited three unnamed sources, including

Houthi rebels in Yemen used satellite data provided by Russia to target and attack commercial ships in the Red Sea, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The outlet cited three unnamed sources, including two European defense officials.

One of the Journal's sources said that the satellite data was transferred to the Houthis via members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps embedded with the rebels in Yemen.

The Journal's new findings, published on Thursday, are yet another sign that Russia is supporting the Houthis behind the scenes after the October 7 attacks in Israel triggered a renewed wave of violence in the Middle East.

According to Western intelligence, the Kremlin earlier this year considered sending anti-ship missiles to the Houthis. Reuters reported on the matter in September, citing three regional and Western sources who said the arrangement was expected to be facilitated through Iran.

The Russian Foreign Ministry and the Kremlin did not respond to requests for comment sent outside regular business hours by Business Insider.

As its tensions with the West rise, Moscow has made it clear that it opposes Washington's involvement in the Middle East, where the US Navy has bolstered its presence significantly to defend commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea and hedge against the risk of an all-out regional war.

When the US and UK launched dozens of strikes on Houthi targets in January, Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, condemned the attacks as "illegitimate" in the eyes of international law.

The Houthis have for months harassed commercial ships in the Red Sea with drones and missiles, for what they say is retaliation against Israel for its bombardment of Gaza. Health officials in Gaza say that over 41,000 people there have been killed by Israeli strikes.

Yet many ships under attack from the Yemeni rebels have often borne no clear association with Israel.

As the Red Sea grew riskier to navigate and ships began diverting to the Cape route, world freight rates doubled to nearly $4,000 per container in January and then jumped to over $5,900 in July, according to maritime research consultancy Drewry.

Rates as of press time were about $3,090, per Drewry's index, still far higher than the typical $1,300 per trip in October last year.

Meanwhile, the US military has rotated multiple aircraft carrier groups to fend off Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, last week striking several targets in Yemen with B-2 Spirit stealth bombers.