U.N. experts say Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been transformed from a local armed group with limited capabilities to a powerful military organization with support from Iran, Iraqi armed groups, Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants and others. A new report says the Iranian-backed rebels have exploited the war in Gaza and worked to enhance their status in Iran’s self-described “Axis of Resistance” to gain popularity in the region and beyond. The report was prepared by experts monitoring sanctions against the Houthis and sent to the U.N. Security Council. The experts say the Houthis attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden have increased their influence in the region.
