Reuters reports on Thursday, 19 Shahrivar, citing Yemeni, Iranian and regional sources that the rapid advance of the Houthis along the Red Sea coast of Yemen has been carried out with the direct guidance of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and that Islamic Republic weapons and advice to the group have helped them seize the port city of Mokha.

According to Reuters, the capture of Mokha in the south west of Yemen has strengthened the Houthis’ control of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. This waterway is one of the world’s important shipping and energy transport routes.

Two Iranian sources told Reuters that the Islamic Republic last week asked the Houthis to increase their attacks on Saudi Arabia and promised to provide them with more funding, weapons and senior commanders.

The Islamic Republic denies military guidance of the Houthis and does not consider the group its “proxy force”.

Five military sources affiliated with the Yemeni government also told Reuters that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has directed the Houthis’ new operations along the Red Sea coastline.

These sources, citing intercepted communications and statements by Houthi militants they said were captured, said their assessment is that Abdolreza Shehlai, one of the senior commanders of the IRGC’s Quds Force, is in charge of directing this operation.