A confidential report prepared by UN sanctions monitors revealed that the Houthis in Yemen have transformed from a local armed group with limited capabilities into a powerful military organization with the help of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Lebanese Hezbollah and Iraqi specialists.

The report published by Reuters said: Houthi fighters are receiving tactical and technical training outside Yemen and are traveling on false passports to Iran, Lebanon and Iraq.

The independent group of experts, which submits its report annually to the United Nations Security Council, added that “over the past year, the Houthis have launched repeated drone and missile strikes on ships in the vital shipping channels in the Red Sea to show support for the Palestinians in the Gaza war with Israel, which led to To disrupt global maritime trade by forcing shipping companies to divert shipments.”

The United Nations experts wrote in their latest report, seen by Reuters, “The multiple testimonies collected by the committee from military experts, Yemeni officials, and even individuals close to the Houthis indicate that they do not have the ability to develop and produce complex weapons systems without foreign support.”

They said, “The scale, nature and extent of transfers of military equipment and various technology provided to the Houthis from external sources, including financial support and training of its fighters, is unprecedented.”

Sanctions monitors said the weapons systems operated by the Houthis are similar to those produced and operated by Iran or armed groups from the “axis of resistance” backed by Tehran and opposed to Israel and American influence in the Middle East.

United Nations experts reported to the 15-member Security Council Sanctions Committee on Yemen that “this transformation was made possible thanks to the transfer of materials, assistance and training provided by the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Hezbollah, and Iraqi specialists and technicians to the Houthis.” “Quds Force” refers to the Quds Force, the external branch of the Revolutionary Guard. The “axis of resistance,” built over years or decades of Iranian support, includes the Houthis, Palestinian militants Hamas and Hezbollah, and various armed groups in Iraq and Syria.

The Houthis have effectively been subject to a UN arms embargo since 2015. Iran has repeatedly denied supplying the group with weapons. Iran's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the UN sanctions monitors' report.

At the United Nations on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told reporters before a Security Council meeting that his country supports Hezbollah and will not remain indifferent if the conflict in Lebanon with Israel escalates.

UN sanctions monitors also expressed concern about the growing cooperation between the Houthis and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

They said: “The two parties agreed to stop the internal conflict, transfer weapons, and coordinate attacks against Yemeni government forces.” “In addition, an increase in smuggling activities, involving small and light weapons (SALWs) between the Houthis and Al-Shabaab, has been observed, with indications of shared military supplies or a shared supplier.”

On the issue of fake passports, UN sanctions monitors said the Houthis are issuing fake documents to people “acting on their behalf, in support of them or under their control.”

They wrote in the 38-page report, which includes hundreds of pages of annexes: “These persons are charged with purchasing and/or transporting illicit goods or weapons, or travel abroad to participate in military training.”