Yemeni FM says Houthis expanding ‘Red Sea Axis’

• Yemen’s Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba says the Iran-backed Houthis have expanded cooperation with aligned groups across the Horn of Africa.
• The Yemeni Foreign Ministry described the emerging network as a “dangerous ‘Red Sea Axis’,” citing alleged weapons transfers, training, smuggling and joint operations.

Yemen’s Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba has warned that the Iran-backed Houthis have expanded their cooperation with aligned groups across the Horn of Africa, describing the emerging network as a “dangerous ‘Red Sea Axis.’”

In a post on X, the Yemeni Foreign Ministry said the alleged cooperation involves weapons transfers, training, smuggling networks and shared operations between groups that had previously been treated as separate security threats.

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“The evidence is clear: weapons transfers, training, smuggling and shared operations are connecting actors once treated as separate threats,” the ministry said.

The comments come amid continued concerns over security in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, key maritime routes connecting the Middle East, Africa and global shipping markets.

The Yemeni government has previously accused the Houthis of developing ties with regional and transnational networks as part of efforts to expand their military and logistical capabilities.

The ministry did not provide details of the specific groups it believes are involved in the alleged network or disclose evidence supporting the latest claims.

The Houthis, who control large parts of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa, have carried out attacks and launched missiles and drones in the Red Sea region in recent years, citing their support for Palestinians in Gaza.

The latest allegations have not been independently verified.