From Tehran's pupils to missile makers: Why Houthis are a bigger threat now

Iran has supplied weapons, money and training to the Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, for more than a decade. Tehran has denied arming the group in violation of a United Nations arms embargo. Houthi rebels in Yemen are becoming less dependent on Iranian weapons after years of training and technical assistance from Tehran. This is allowing the group to assemble its own drones and missiles, posing a growing threat to Saudi Arabia as the US-Iran war strains regional air defences and depletes stocks of missile interceptors.The shift has become increasingly significant after Houthi attacks on Riyadh international airport and the headquarters of Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil company, exposed vulnerabilities in Saudi Arabia's defences. Weapons and regional experts say the group's growing ability to produce its own weapons could make it harder to contain, even if Iranian supply routes are disrupted.Iran's strategy: Teach the Houthis to build weaponsIran has supplied weapons, money and training to the Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, for more than a decade. Tehran has denied arming the group in violation of a United Nations arms embargo.However, according to a report b...