Houthis make a play to be Iran’s main proxy in the region

The multiple articles about the Houthis in Iranian state media show how important this group is to Iran these days.

By SETH J. FRANTZMAN JANUARY 21, 2025 10:32

THEN-IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER Hossein Amir-Abdollahian meets with Houthi official Mohammed Abdul-Salam in Muscat, Oman, last year. The most effective way to curb Houthi aggression is through direct action against the regime in Tehran, the writer maintains. (photo credit: Iran’s Foreign Ministry/West Asia News Agency/Reuters)

The Houthis, who have attacked ships in the Red Sea and targeted Israel with missiles and drones for a year, have thanked Iran for their support in helping “defeat” Israel in Gaza. Iranian state media IRNA noted that the Houthi leader “Abdul-Malik al-Houthi says Israel has been defeated in Gaza thanks to the support from the regional coalition of resistance forces, praising Iran’s crucial role in helping the Palestinians achieve victory.”

This is an important message from the Houthis. With Hezbollah weakened and Iraqi militias also apparently sidelined, the Houthis are making a play to be Iran’s main proxy in the region. The group is now celebrating what it sees as a victory over “the Zionist regime.” The Houthis say that Iran played an important role in this multi-front war on Israel. “He pointed out that this victory represents a substantial shift in the confrontation with the enemy, with Israeli officials’ admission of defeat serving as evidence.”

Meanwhile in Iran, Brigadier General Amir Hatami, a military adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said “that Israel is incapable of dismantling the ideological and military strength of resistance groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and Yemen's Ansarullah [Houthis].”

Illustrative image of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (credit: LISI NIESNER/ REUTERS, Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS)

The Iranian general was speaking at a conference of commanders from Iran’s army on Monday when he made the comment. “General Hatami further highlighted Israel’s military setbacks, stating that its forces were defeated in ground battles with Hamas and Hezbollah fighters,” Iran’s state media noted. "Not only did the Israeli army fail to destroy Hamas and Hezbollah or free its prisoners, but it was also compelled to retreat and agree to a humiliating ceasefire to avoid further casualties," he said.

Economic factors

He also discussed Israel’s economy. Clearly Iran sees this as a regional war of attrition against Israel. Iran recently signed a new deal with Russia. Iran says this deal is largely focused on economic ties. Iran clearly wants to pose this as an economic struggle against Israel. This means Iran could be dialing back the attacks on Israel as the ceasefire sets in after it was signed over the last weekend.

The Houthis are also bragging about having “accurate, precision-guided missiles.” The Houthis recently threatened Saudi Arabia “cautioning the kingdom against repeating its past miscalculations regarding Yemen. [The Houthis] warned that any new aggression against Yemen would result in heavy losses to the Saudi economy.” The Houthis have dialed back some attacks on shipping but say they will continue to target Israel “affiliated” ships.

The multiple articles about the Houthis in Iranian state media show how important this group is to Iran these days. The threats against Saudi Arabia and Israel may provoke more crisis in the region because the incoming US administration of Donald Trump will not want to see more attacks on ships and the administration is supportive of Saudi Arabia’s concerns and of Israel’s concerns.