Al-Estiklal, a Turkish daily based in Istanbul, published on 24 August 2026 an article titled "Houthi Expansion in the Horn of Africa: From Arms Smuggling to a Cross-Border Network of Influence."
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi outreach to the Horn of Africa is an attempt to build a human, logistical, and intelligence network that can be utilized on both sides of the Red Sea. It involves collaboration with al-Shabaab in Somalia and sympathetic individuals in Ethiopia and Eritrea.
It is part of Iran's broader strategy in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The Houthis monitor the movements of countries allied with Saudi Arabia and the United States and secure supply lines to ensure the continued flow of weapons and supplies.
