Iran
Hardline Newspaper Hails Ansar Allah Strikes Against UAE, Implies Israel on Target List On 23 January, hardline newspaper Kayhan praised recent Ansar Allah (Huthi) attacks on United Arab Emirates with the headline, “Message of Yemeni resistance to foreign companies: vacate Emirati commercial towers. Ansar Allah missiles are on the way. On 25 January, Kayhan ran with the headline, “Second night of insecurity in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Israel is on the waiting list.”
On 25 January, Mashregh News, a news agency affiliated with the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), released a map depicting Israel as within range of Houthi attacks from Yemen. On 1 February, Kayhan wrote on its front page: “third great attack on Dubai and Abu Dhabi sent Zionist regime head to the shelter,” referring to Ansar Allah attempted attacks during Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s travel to the UAE. Meanwhile, Reformist daily Ettela’at on 1 February called the attacks “answer to Emirati participation in crimes against the Yemeni people and Zionist regime head’s travel to Abu Dhabi.” (Kayhan, Mashregh News, Ettela’at)
Line of Hizballah Praises ‘Yemeni Dagger in Heart of Plans of’ West On 27 January, Line of Hezbollah, a weekly publication of the Office of The Supreme Leader, wrote on its front page “Yemeni dagger in the heart of the plan of Arrogance [West],” asking “why today is the Yemeni resistance is defender of all independent nations of West Asia and Globe’s Oppressed?”
The weekly alleges US and Israeli officials “seek renewed disintegration and redrawing” in the Middle East akin to “English and French colonists 106 years ago.” It credits the Islamic Republic and the “Resistance” for standing “firmly” in that conflict, noting “while the front line…in the [2006 war] encompassed less than 100 kilometers, the nature of this front line encompassed the entire world of Islam and resistance against blasphemy and arrogance.” The weekly adds that after the US faced defeat in the 2006 Israeli-Lebanon conflict, it sought to “take advantage” of the Arab Spring in the early 2010’s to “deviate these movements toward those inclined to the West and the US.”
The weekly states that “what is happening in Yemen today is the last ring in the series of actions of Arrogance [West] to realize the dream that Condoleezza Rice has described 15 years ago in the birth of the New Middle East.” It added that the “nature of conflict in Yemen today is same nature of conflicts of Lebanon’s 33-Day War [2006 Israel-Lebanon war], the 22-Day Gaza War [2008-2009], and conflicts of the Resistance Axis against Takfiris [Sunni extremists] created by US and Israel.” Line of Hezbollah adds that “Yemen has disrupted the colonist dream of changing identity of Resistance in West Asia, the same that the Resistance did in Iraq and Syria.” The weekly promises victory for Ansar Allah “the same way that we saw in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria.” (Office For The Preservation and Publication of The Works of Grand Ayatollah Khamenei)
State Media Reports Iranian Oil Exports in March-September 2021 Double Compared to Same Time Last Year On 26 January, IRNA cited the Central Bank of Iran and the National Iranian Oil Company in a report asserting that Iranian oil exports from March 2021 – 2021 September are valued at $18.6 billion, marking a $10 billion increase from the same period last year. (IRNA)
Daughter of Late Iranian Ambassador to Yemen Details His IRGC Record In an interview with state media on 27 January, Irlu’s daughter stated that her father’s “jihad-oriented activities” date back to the 1980’s and that he has been deployed to Syria, Bosnia, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen. In regard to the events surrounding Irlu’s death, she said the family was “unwilling” to accept a Saudi offer to allow her father to leave Yemen in return for captured Saudi commanders since these actions would “damage the Resistance Front.” (IRNA)
Iraq
Iraq-Based Militia Claims Drone Strike on UAE On 02 February, Awliat al-Waad al-Haaq, or the True Promise Brigades, claimed it targeted “vital facilities” in Abu Dhabi with four drones and that the attacks would continue until the UAE ceased its interference in regional affairs. Meanwhile, the Emirati Ministry of Defense announced that three hostile drones were intercepted and destroyed at dawn away from populated areas. (True Promise Brigades Telegram, Emirati Ministry of Defense Twitter)
Emirate Media Call for Stronger Action Against Ansar Allah in Wake of Recent Attacks On 20 January, English-language daily newspaper The National called for the international community to “get tough” with the Houthis and that conciliatory gestures would not suffice in convincing the group to suspend its malicious activities. On 29 January, state-run daily newspaper Al-Ittihad published a piece highlighting the UAE’s role in the Arab Spring, particularly in Yemen, and was fulfilling an “Islamic duty” by confronting expansion by Iran in Yemen. On 31 January, English-language daily newspaper Gulf News ran with the headline “Al Houthis must be designated as terrorist group” – presumably calling on the United States. On 02 February, Government of Dubai-owned daily newspaper Al-Bayan published two op-eds condemning the Houthis; one focusing on the Houthis as an Iranian proxy force and the other promising a determined response to recent attacks from the UAE. (The National, Al-Ittihad, Gulf News, Al-Bayan)
Yemen
Ansar Allah-Aligned Yemen Presidency Spokesman Tells Hizballah’s Al-Ahed Huthis Have Capability To Strike Israel On 25 January, Zayd al-Gharsi, director of media affairs at the Ansar Allah-aligned Yemen presidency, told Al-Ahed that the UAE erred in trying to minimize the impact of the recent Houthi missile strikes; strikes on UAE are against “Zionist Entity,” because the UAE “statelet” was leading “[the Israeli] enemy’s” regional normalization project. He added that that Ansar Allah missile capabilities would allow the group to strike “Occupied Lands,” i.e. Israel. He added that the UAE strike was a message to both Israel and US alike, because he claimed that Israelis pushed the UAE to escalate in Yemen particularly after Prime Minister Bennett’s visit to UAE. Al-Gharsi added that the main battle today is with “Zionist-American project” and its tools in the region. He warned that Ansar Allah has identified more important UAE economic and strategic targets to strike in the future. (Al-Ahed)
Contributors: Resistance Axis Monitor founders Amir Toumaj and David Daoud, and Research Assistant Tymahz Toumadje.
