November 5, 2026 | The National Interest
How Russia and China Support the Houthis
The United States and its allies need a more coordinated anti-Houthi strategy to counter a Russo-Chinese threat to the region.
November 5, 2026 | The National Interest
How Russia and China Support the Houthis
The United States and its allies need a more coordinated anti-Houthi strategy to counter a Russo-Chinese threat to the region.
Excerpt
In Yemen, the Houthis are causing chaos and destruction in Saudi Arabia, and there’s little sign of the attacks stopping. Targets have included civilian and energy infrastructure, and the Saudis have been left scrambling for a response.
But the Houthis haven’t been acting alone. Iran, the Houthis’ main sponsor, values its ally for its ability to threaten Red Sea shipping, which multiplies the effects of the Islamic Republic’s efforts to block the Strait of Hormuz. This combined effort has sent oil prices soaring.
Russia has also provided the Houthis with support ranging from weapons and satellite intelligence to fuel. Chinese companies have become a major source of materials for Houthi weapons manufacturing, with no evidence of interference to stop this procurement by Beijing.
For Moscow and Beijing, the Houthis, a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), are a useful thorn in America’s side. The group’s persistent threat to American partners and global norms like freedom of navigation undermines Washington’s leadership in the Middle East, a goal which Russia and China share with malign regional actors like Iran.
Bridget Toomey is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), focusing on Iranian proxies, specifically Iraqi militias and the Houthis.