Iran Deploys Warship to Red Sea Amid Houthi Attacks

Iran’s Alborz warship entered the Red Sea after passing through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported on January 1. Tensions are soaring in the region.

Notably, the report came a day after United States officials reported that its uss Gerald Ford aircraft carrier will soon leave the Middle East.

Houthi attacks: In early December, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis announced they would target any ship heading toward Israel in the Red Sea. The terrorists have since launched drone and missile attacks toward at least 20 merchant vessels passing through. Shortly before the announcement, they even hijacked one vessel:

Disrupting Red Sea trade not only drastically hurts Israel, but also is a direct attack on Europe, which depends on shipping through this vital choke point. Several of the largest shipping companies in the world—most of which are European—have suspended all shipping through the Red Sea.

Escalating tensions: On Sunday, U.S. Navy helicopter crews based on the uss Eisenhower aircraft carrier killed 10 Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and sank three of the group’s vessels. This came in response to the terrorists firing missiles at a Danish cargo ship and then firing at the U.S. helicopters.

The same day, the United Kingdom’s defense secretary said Britain was “willing to take direct action” against the Houthis.

The Trumpet says: While Iran’s leaders claim they have no control over the Houthis, evidence is mounting that the Islamic republic has been directly helping the terrorists conduct attacks in the Red Sea. Deploying its Alborz warship to the region also supports this.

Helping the Houthis gain a strong foothold in this strategic sea passage gives Iran a weapon it can use against the world. After the Houthis’ coup in 2015, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote:

The Houthi takeover in Yemen proves that Iran is implementing a bold strategy to control the vital sea lane from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. … Now that Iran controls Yemen, it can virtually close or open this spigot on Middle East oil bound for Europe. And Europe is taking notice!

Learn more: Read “Iran Gets a Stranglehold on the Middle East.”