The Houthis’ reach into Africa should alarm the world

According to a report by the Century Foundation, a US-based non-partisan think tank, the Iranian-backed Houthis are expanding their reach into the Horn of Africa and Sudan. The report warns that the group is building smuggling and training networks, deepening ties with the terrorist group Al Shabab in Somalia and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). While these connections are currently transactional, the report warns they could evolve into more durable partnerships. Al Shabab has reportedly sought Houthi assistance in acquiring anti-aircraft weapons and drones to counter aerial attacks. Furthermore, the report details that the Houthis have been arranging shipments of small arms and light weapons for the SAF since 2024, with Houthi operatives training SAF personnel alongside Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. There are also indications of Houthi activity in Eritrea, where they are reportedly seeking to establish a logistical network along the African coast of the Red Sea. The analysis suggests that a Houthi-linked logistics corridor running from northern Sudan to the Horn of Africa could link the civil war in Sudan, the insurgency in Somalia, and the Red Sea shipping crisis. This arrangement could provide Al Shabab with greater firepower and offer the Iranian regime new sources of influence during its ongoing confrontation with the US. The report concludes that containing the Houthis within Yemen is insufficient, urging the international community to exert coordinated pressure on smuggling routes and increase scrutiny of dual-use technology transfers to prevent further entrenchment of these networks.