Russian satellite data helped Yemen’s Houthis target Saudi Arabia: What to know
A report by The Associated Press found evidence that Russian satellites helped Yemen’s Houthis identify and target specific sites, including energy facilities and military bases, in Saudi Arabia.
Russian government and military satellites may have helped Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels carry out precision strikes against dozens of targets in Saudi Arabia in the past few months, The Associated Press reported on Tuesday, as the conflict between the two sides continues to escalate.
Details: The Geneva-based AURORAH geospatial intelligence firm analyzed 40 missile and drone attacks launched by the Houthis and Iranian-backed militias in Iraq against Saudi Arabia between July 1 and Oct. 19. The firm found an identical pattern of Russian satellite positions and reconnaissance activity converging above the targeted areas before and after the attacks, suggesting that intelligence was being transferred to the Houthis and Iraqi militias.
“What we found is a 100% match” between Russian satellite activity and all 40 strikes, AURORAH founder Nawaf Obaid told AP.
Obaid said that his firm identified 72 Russian reconnaissance satellites out of more than 11,000 spacecraft orbiting Earth, tracked their trajectories and maneuvers, and compared them to military activity on the ground.
