US intelligence agencies have warned that Russia could supply missiles to Yemeni armed forces in retaliation for the United States support for Ukrainian forces fighting Russian troops in Donbas.
The Wall Street Journal published a report on Friday claiming that US officials were making efforts to stop Russia from sending arms and ammunition to Yemen.
Yemeni forces have been striking Israeli interests, declaring their unwavering support for Palestinians and opposing the Israeli occupation.
Citing US officials, the WSJ reported that Washington is working behind the scenes to stop Russia from providing weapons and munitions, particularly long-range missiles, to the Yemeni armed forces.
Earlier reports said Russia had aimed to provide arms and ammo to Yemen this year. However, Saudi Arabia had persuaded Russia not to provide anti-ship cruise missiles to the Ansurallah fighters opposed to Riyadh.
Then, after the US gave Kiev permission to use the weapons and ammunition provided by the US-led Western countries to strike targets inside Russia, Moscow renewed its objective to arm the Yemini fighters.
US intelligence agencies assess that Moscow is renewing its push to arm the Yemeni forces after the White House gave Kiev the go-ahead to strike targets inside Russia.
Till then, Kiev’s attempts to hit targets on Russian territory were indiscreet.
The Journal said the White House is making a diplomatic push through a third country to dissuade Russia from the arms transfer. Which country is being used by the US as leverage against Russia is still unclear.
In related news, US Central Command chief Erik Kurilla has reportedly informed America’s top brass that the US-led operations are failing, forcing the military to exit the region.
The WSJ said Kurilla told US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a classified memo that a potentially stronger military action plus a “whole of government” approach, including active diplomatic efforts and wide economic sanction, was required if Washington wanted to mount effective pressure on the Yemeni Armed Forces.
The WSJ quoted a defense official who was familiar with the matter as saying, “Many people found the tone of the memo to be a bit shocking.”
According to the official, the point Kurilla wanted to make in his letter to the Pentagon chief, was that “US service members will die if we continue going this way.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month after the West allowed Ukraine to strike inside the Russian Federation that the US’ move could prompt Moscow to arm America’s enemies.
“The response can be asymmetrical, and we will think about that,” Putin told reporters back then attending St. Petersburg’s international economic forum.
Two US officials told the WSJ that Russia has not transferred any missiles to Yemen yet, however, the representatives of the Yemeni fighters were present in Moscow.
An observer told the newspaper that missiles supplied by Russia “would represent a qualitative leap” in the Yemeni armed forces capabilities.