Secret negotiations between the Russian Federation and the Houthis on the transfer of supersonic missiles (video)

Reuters reports that Russia is in talks with Yemeni militants over the transfer of Yakhont anti-ship missiles, which can more accurately hit commercial ships in the Red Sea.

According to the publication, citing sources, this year at least twice negotiations between representatives of the Houthis and the Russian Federation took place in the capital of Iran, Tehran, and will continue in the near future.

Yakhont supersonic anti-ship missiles, also known as P-800 Onyx, will allow the Houthis to more accurately hit commercial ships and pose a threat to US warships and EU.

Reuters notesthat one of the Russian Federation’s motives for providing weapons to the Houthis is a desire to increase pressure on the West and prevent Ukraine from allowing long-range strikes deep into Russia. It is worth noting that the Yakhont missiles Russia previously supplied Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Since November last year, Iran-backed Houthi militants began to attack merchant ships around the Arabian Peninsula, claiming that they are targeting “vessels associated with Israel.” The attacks threatened the shortest sea route from Asia to Europe and the associated supply chains.

Because of this, the US and allies began patrolling the region to protect merchant ships. Since January 2024 it has been operating there special naval mission of the European Union. In early September alone, two ships were damaged by Houthi shelling, including the Saudi MV Amjad with about 2 million barrels of oil.

A Greek-owned, Panama-flagged ship sailing in the Red Sea was attacked by a ballistic missile in May this year. According to US Central Command, the attack occurred on May 18when the Iran-backed Houtists fired an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) into the Red Sea and hit the Greek-owned, Panamanian-flagged tanker M/T Wind.

Greek bulk carrier Tutor was attacked by Houthis in the Red Sea in June. As our publication reported, the Houthis claimed responsibility for a naval drone attack on a Greek merchant ship in the Red Sea. The incident occurred on the evening of June 12. In a statement, the Houthis confirmed that they carried out a “military operation against the Tutor ship in the Red Sea using naval drones, aerial drones and ballistic missiles.” The ship carrying coal was seriously damaged.

Another one was damaged in the same month greek ship. The headquarters of the US military (CENTCOM), responsible for the Middle East region, confirmed attack by Houthi rebels on the Greek-owned merchant ship Transworld Navigator. The attack was announced on Sunday June 24 by Yahya Sharia, spokesman for the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

CENTCOM said the Greek-owned, Liberian-flagged Transworld Navigator was hit by a Houthi drone around 4 a.m. Sunday. The crew reported “minor injuries and limited damage” but the ship continued on its way.

In August, a French warship rescued 25 Greek-owned crew members. tanker “Sounion”which was attacked twice by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. A French ship operating as part of Europe's Operation Shield also destroyed an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) at the scene.

The shelling of the MV Sounion tanker off the coast of Yemen by pro-Iranian Houthi rebels could lead to an oil leak. warned August 24 Matthew Miller, US State Department spokesman. The US Foreign Office noted that the tanker's crew had been evacuated, but “the Houthis appear determined to sink the ship and its cargo at sea.”

Miller recalled that the Iran-backed rebels, during their attacks for months, have made it clear that they intend to “destroy the fishing economy and local ecosystems that support the livelihoods of Yemenis and other communities in the region.” He called on the Houthis to “stop these actions immediately.”

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