Iranian officials urged Houthis to seize Red Sea ports, escalating Saudi-Houthi conflict

Yemeni and Iranian officials have told Reuters that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) urged the Houthi rebels in Yemen to launch offensives against Red Sea ports and to draw Saudi Arabia into a broader confrontation. The Houthi forces recently seized the port city of Mokha and are advancing toward Dhubab, a strategic point near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which could enable attacks on oil tankers.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reportedly asked President Donald Trump to consider direct military action against the Houthis as they strengthen their positions along Yemen’s coastline. The United Nations special envoy warned the Security Council that the war in Yemen has entered a “new and more dangerous phase” following reports that hundreds of IRGC officers are operating alongside Houthi fighters on the ground.

"The Houthi advance down the coast this week had direct guidance from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," a Yemeni government source said.

The escalation comes amid broader regional tensions, including U.S. efforts to enforce a maritime blockade against Iran and Saudi Arabia’s shutdown of its East-West oil pipeline after multiple attacks. International agencies have reported a sharp rise in displacement within Yemen, with more than 46,000 people forced to flee in the past week.

U.S. officials estimate that hundreds of IRGC officers are present in Yemen, while more than 100 U.S. military advisers are reported to be in Saudi Arabia supporting the kingdom’s response to the growing threat.