General
Russia Could Expand Its Assistance to Houthis, U.S. Says
The group’s attacks in the Red Sea have driven up shipping costs and forced the United States and its allies to increase their naval presence in the region.
U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that Russia could provide targeting information to Houthi rebels in Yemen, whose attacks in the Red Sea have disrupted global shipping, but do not believe Moscow has taken such a step, according to American officials.
Russia has provided small arms and limited assistance to the Houthis. And for weeks, American officials have said Russia is considering providing the group with missiles should the West escalate the war in Ukraine.
The Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout has been negotiating with the Houthis to sell them advanced missiles, though a deal has not yet been completed, officials say. The United States swapped Mr. Bout in the prisoner exchange that freed the W.N.B.A. star Brittney Griner from a Russian prison in December 2022.
In September, U.S. intelligence agencies assessed that if the United States and European countries allowed Ukraine to use their weapons for strikes deeper into Russia, President Vladimir V. Putin would respond by authorizing covert, lethal attacks.
While such retaliation could include stepped-up Russian sabotage operations in Europe, officials said Russia also sees the Houthis as an effective and disruptive force that had successfully pressured international shipping.
Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have driven up shipping costs and forced the United States and its allies to increase their naval presence in the region. Fighting the Houthis has led to some of the most intense combat deployments for the U.S. Navy in years.
