علیرضا نوری‌زاده، director of the Iran and Arab Research Center, said that the sale of F-35 fighter jets has been carried out with the aim of strengthening Saudi Arabia’s deterrence against the Islamic Republic, rather than to counter the Houthis. He added that Europe also cannot remain indifferent to the security of the Bab el-Mandeb, because any disruption to shipping through this route would also affect the trade and energy security of European countries.