Saudi Arabia reported Thursday that the Houthi terror group bombarded islands in the Red Sea with ballistic missiles. The developments came amid growing international warnings about increased Houthi activity and threats to international shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait—the main passage for vessels traveling from Asia to Europe.
1+The missile launches at the islands mark an escalation in Houthi terror operations—after nearly three years in which the group has attacked those passing through the area. In response, the UN Security Council decided to establish a security force to provide maritime security and protect freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. After the missile launches, the force announced it would not abandon its mission and would continue as planned.
Recently, an American research institute studying the Houthi terror group revealed in a special report that the militia is working to expand its influence and networks in the Horn of Africa by recruiting operatives from African countries. The institute claimed the terror group did this with help and cooperation from Somalia’s al-Shabaab organization.
1+The report stated that government forces in Mokha, Yemen, arrested a Somali citizen in 2024 who they say served as a liaison between the Houthis and al-Shabaab, and that he helped transfer up to 400 Somalis to receive military and ideological training at Houthi camps, and also helped Houthi engineers reach the city of Jilib in Somalia.