Hezbollah on Wednesday rejected accusations that it had dispatched experts to Yemen to fight alongside the Houthis in their war against the internationally recognised government and Saudi Arabia.
For Lebanon, already under pressure to disarm Hezbollah and keep the country out of regional conflicts, any confirmed involvement in Yemen would further complicate relations with Riyadh and the Gulf states © Mena Today
Hezbollah on Wednesday rejected accusations that it had dispatched experts to Yemen to fight alongside the Houthis in their war against the internationally recognised government and Saudi Arabia.
Yet years of evidence point to a long-standing presence of the Lebanese group alongside Iran’s Yemeni allies.
In a brief statement, the Iran-backed group dismissed as “totally unfounded” the claims made a day earlier by Yemen’s Interior Minister, Ibrahim Ali Haidan.
The Houthis, Hezbollah insisted, have “the capabilities, resources and expertise needed to defend their country and sovereignty” and need “neither the support nor the intervention of anyone.” It also called for a “serious and responsible dialogue between Yemenis,” accusing unnamed parties of seeking to “fuel conflicts and fragment the states of the region.”
Earlier in the day, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned any possible Hezbollah involvement in Yemen, as Beirut seeks to distance itself from the group’s regional activities.
A familiar denial
Hezbollah’s denial is unlikely to convince many in the region. For more than a decade, Yemeni, Saudi and Western officials have accused the group of training and advising the Houthis, alongside members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, who are widely reported to supply weapons and technical expertise.
The Saudi-led coalition has in the past released footage it said showed Hezbollah operatives in Yemen, and the United States has sanctioned Hezbollah figures for their alleged role in supporting the Houthis. Analysts see the Lebanese group as a key link in the network of Iranian allies across the region, sharing know-how in areas such as missiles and drones.
Against that backdrop, many observers view the presence of Hezbollah members alongside the Houthis as all but certain, whatever the group’s official line.
The accusations come as the war between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis escalates, with repeated attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities and fighting edging closer to Aden, seat of the internationally recognised government.
For Lebanon, already under pressure to disarm Hezbollah and keep the country out of regional conflicts, any confirmed involvement in Yemen would further complicate relations with Riyadh and the Gulf states.
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