- Irina Tsukerman
- April 23, 2018
- Paper No. 807
An integral part of its sustained drive for regional hegemony, Tehranโs backing of the Houthis in Yemen, like its support for Syriaโs Assad regime, is to build naval bases, gain control of strategic international waterways, terrorize Sunni populations, and turn local Shiite forces into its own private paramilitary groups to be used in special operations and terrorist attacks around the world. The Houthis are following Iran's Hezbollah model and haveย gained the world's sympathy through propaganda even as they engage in ruthless attacks on civilians both at home and in Saudi Arabia.ย