Despite significant setbacks following Israeli strikes that killed key military leaders and US attacks on its nuclear facilities, Iran is accelerating efforts to rearm its militia allies across the Middle East, according to a Wall Street Journal report published on Friday.
However, Tehran has vehemently denied these allegations, with Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei calling claims of weapons shipments to Yemen “baseless.”
The US and Israeli strikes on Iranian assets this spring have taken a toll on Tehran's regional influence. Yet, Iran is moving quickly to replenish its stockpiles and continue supporting proxy groups in the region, particularly the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Despite the denials from Tehran, there is mounting evidence that Iran continues to send military aid to these groups, demonstrating its determination to retain influence over its militia allies.
This week, forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government intercepted a large shipment of advanced military equipment, including missiles, drone parts, and warheads, intended for the Houthi rebels along the Red Sea coast. The seizure was carried out by the National Resistance Force, a coalition of military groups aligned with the Yemeni government.
The shipment was hidden aboard a dhow and was concealed under crates of air conditioners, a tactic used to avoid detection. Among the advanced military gear was Iranian-developed Qader antiship missiles and parts for the Saqr air-defense system, both of which have been used by the Houthis in attacks against US drones.
Large-scale weapons seizures confirm Iran's continuing military support
The US Central Command, responsible for US military operations in the Middle East, confirmed that this was the National Resistance Force’s largest-ever seizure of Iranian conventional weapons, totaling 750 tons of advanced military supplies.
According to reports, these included cruise missiles, warheads, targeting components, and drone engines. This is the largest interception of Iranian weapons heading to Yemen to date.
The Wall Street Journal noted that this shipment was carefully concealed beneath a false load and was intercepted after the vessel passed through East African waters, underscoring the sophisticated methods Tehran uses to supply its allies covertly.
Iran’s Intent to Replenish Weapon Supplies Following US Strikes
This latest seizure follows a series of US airstrikes earlier this year, which severely depleted Houthi stockpiles. Mohammed al-Basha, the founder of the Basha Report, a US-based Middle East security advisory, suggested that the scale and timing of this shipment strongly indicate Iran’s desire to quickly replenish weapons stores that were depleted by the US campaign.
"The timing and scale of this shipment strongly suggest Iran is moving quickly to replenish Houthi stockpiles depleted by US airstrikes," al-Basha said. The replenishment of Houthi arms is critical to Tehran’s strategy to maintain pressure on Israel and commercial maritime traffic in the Red Sea, a region crucial for global shipping.
In response to these allegations, Esmail Baqaei, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, denied that Iran was sending weapons to the Houthis in Yemen. Baqaei dismissed the accusations as "baseless," arguing that Tehran has no involvement in the supply of arms to the Yemeni rebels. However, the scale of the intercepted shipments and the growing number of seizures by multiple governments in the region raise significant doubts about these claims.
Iran's Growing Military Presence in Syria and Lebanon
The report also highlighted how Iran’s actions are part of a broader regional strategy aimed at bolstering its network of militia allies.
In Syria, the new government, which has been increasingly hostile to Tehran, has managed to intercept several arms shipments to Hezbollah. These seizures included Grad rockets and other weaponry intended for use in multiple-launch systems.
Meanwhile, Lebanon's army has also been intercepting shipments of weapons, including Russian-made antitank missiles, coming through Syria.
Michael Knights, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, explained that the growing arms smuggling trend illustrates how Iran is continuing to support its proxy forces despite facing military setbacks.
Hezbollah's Adaptation to Arms Shortages
Knights noted, “Iran is rebuilding its presence in the Levant by sending missiles to Hezbollah and weapons from Iraq to Syria. This arms trade is part of Iran’s continued ambition to sustain its influence in the region.” He emphasized that Iran's activities in Syria and Lebanon are reflective of its broader goals of maintaining a network of militias to safeguard its strategic interests in the Middle East.
Hezbollah, which has been a critical ally for Iran in its regional power struggle, has been struggling to replenish its arms following Israel's 12-day air campaign last fall. The Israeli operation resulted in significant losses for the Lebanese terror group, destroying much of its leadership and arsenal.
Despite these losses, Hezbollah has managed to retain some military capabilities, including missile and drone technology. In recent months, Hezbollah has managed to restructure its smuggling networks to move arms in smaller shipments via Syria and Iraq, with some shipments even being disguised as humanitarian aid.
Michael Cardash, a former deputy head of Israel's bomb disposal division, observed that the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime has complicated Hezbollah’s access to weapons, forcing traffickers to operate in a much more clandestine manner.
"There has been an intensifying trend in recent months of smuggling attempts originating from or transiting through Syria to Lebanon’s Hezbollah,” Cardash said. These small, discreet shipments are harder to detect and allow Hezbollah to maintain its operations in Lebanon and beyond.
Hezbollah's Self-Sufficiency and Resilience
Although Hezbollah has faced setbacks in replenishing its arms, it has been successful in manufacturing its own drones and medium-range rockets, further demonstrating the resilience of Iran’s proxy network.
With support from Tehran, Hezbollah has managed to sidestep the pressure placed on its arms pipeline and continues to develop its own capabilities. Hezbollah's ability to produce weapons and restructure its networks is indicative of Iran's long-term strategy to ensure the survival of its regional proxies despite direct military actions by Israel