Iran downplays possible role in Houthis’ recent Yemen victories

Tehran, Iran – Strategic military victories in Yemen by the Tehran-allied Ansar Allah, also known as Houthis, have directed attention towards Iran’s role in the war against the internationally recognised Yemeni government. According to recent US media reports, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) helped direct an offensive in western Yemen that solidified Houthi control over the Bab al-Mandeb strait and the port city of Mocha. The Houthis gains on the coast coincide with Iran’s disruptions of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to pressure Washington to lift its naval blockade, US media have reported in recent weeks.