US Air Strikes on Houthis in Yemen
On Friday, 11 January 2024, The US and the UK carried out around 70 air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in an attempt to stop attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. The Iran-backed Houthis who control about two-thirds of Yemen threatened a swift response, with Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Bahrain backing the US and the UK. The attacks ratchet up geopolitical tensions and add a new dimension of war in the Middle East. ‘At least 5 killed in U.S.-led strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen’ states a report from CBC News.
Joe Biden on US Air Strikes
According to the reports on Twitter as shown below, “US president Joe Biden says US will ‘not tolerate’ Houthi attacks, as air strikes launched in Yemen.”
US president Joe Biden says US will ‘not tolerate’ Houthi attacks, as air strikes launched in Yemen.
US Correspondent @danriversitv reports from Washington DChttps://t.co/FB9Y1OSrGq
— ITV News (@itvnews) January 12, 2024
Rishi Sunak on UK Air Strikes
According to the reports on Twitter as shown below, “The targets were selected very specifically to degrade military capabilities”
“The targets were selected very specifically to degrade military capabilities”
PM Rishi Sunak gives details of the UK and US air strikes in Yemen, adding “the onus is on the Houthis to heed the calls of the international community”
Follow live https://t.co/hUQmMo7o7I pic.twitter.com/dtnsawJ801
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) January 12, 2024
Who are Houthis?
The Houthis are an Iranian-backed armed militia that took shape in Yemen. They are rooted in the Zaidi Shia, a militant group that seeks to take over the government of Yemen and bring an Islamic state to the country. They are a group with broad support among arabs, specifically Yemenis, hailing from the northern governorates where they control large stretches of territory.
More recently, Houthis have sided with Hamas and Palestine in their struggle against Israel. They have been actively involved in attacks against various ships and vessels in the Red Sea due to the location advantage of Houthis in Yemen. These attacks have posed a significant threat to global shipping and maritime security in the region.
US Air Strikes on Houthis in Yemen | Source: CIA
How Do the US Air Strikes on Houthis Matter?
According to Wikipedia, “Under the leadership of Zaidi religious leader Hussein al-Houthi, the Houthis emerged as an opposition movement to Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who they accused of corruption and being backed by Saudi Arabia and the United States“
It would be a grave understatement to say that the US and UK air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen are taking place at the height of geopolitical tensions in the world. With the Russia-Ukraine war raging on and the Israel-Hamas war reigniting, we have now opened a third front of conflicts in the region. Yet armed interventions by major Western powers at war provide a striking example of the balance of power in the Middle East, and the proxy wars that are being waged in this region.
With the Houthis’ sensible response to the latest airstrikes, the tensions will only be further exacerbated. The increasing Iranian support for the Houthis has also raised the odds of Iran-sponsored cyber attacks on critical infrastructure in the West, as well as government entities.
What’s Latest on US Air Strikes on Houthis in Yemen?
According to BBC, “Houthis vow retaliation after US and UK strike 16 sites in Yemen”
And, According to the latest updates on X platform (formerly Twitter), it is speculated that large number of people came on streets to protest the attacks.
🚨𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 – Millions break out in the largest protest ever in Yemen, denouncing last nights US – British air strikes.
Houthi leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi condemns the air strikes, now referring to the United States as “the Devil.”
The conflict widens as the US and… pic.twitter.com/MDSvyv5inr
— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) January 12, 2024
Cyber Attacks by Iranian Cyber Threat Actors (CyberTerrorism)
Throughout 2023, Iran-linked threat actors have demonstrably emerged with high capabilities and conducted various cyber attacks and actions against different entities such as governments, private-sectors, infrastructures and so forth. Below is a list of Iranian cyber threat actors that target various victims. However, this list might not include all the existing Iran-linked attackers:
Iran-Backed Threat Actor Details:
Cyber Av3ngers: CyberAv3ngers are an Iran-backed threat group that is constantly attacking the US and other allies.
2. Hamas Cyber Unit: The Hamas Cyber Unit is a state-sponsored hacking group that is suspected to be connected to Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist governmental organisation, and has conducted cyberattacks against Israeli targets.
3. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC): The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is an Iranian military network that has played a role in cyber espionage and operations against a range of international targets, including the US and allies of the United States.
4. Parastoo: Group targets financial institutions and critical infrastructure in the Middle East. A sophisticated and effective Iranian hacking group responsible for high-end attacks.
Cyber Attacks by Iran-Backed Cyber Threat Actors
1. Israel Government: Iran-backed actors have repeatedly launched attacks against Israeli Government agencies and critical infrastructure, including public transport and water systems, with the goal of sabotaging Israeli operations.
2. U.S. Government: Iranian hackers have penetrated US government networks to steal information and disrupt operations of the departments of Defense, Energy, Utilities and State.
3. Companies: Iran-backed threat actors have targeted companies in many different industries, including finance, energy, transportation, and telecommunications. Attacks on these companies often involve the theft of sensitive data and attempts to disrupt operations.
4. Countries across the Middle East: Threat actors backed by Iran have launched a campaign of destructive attacks on countries across the Middle East, targeting Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to upend these countries. Critical infrastructure remains under assault.
Impact of US Air Strikes on Houthis in Yemen on Cybersecurity
Plausible Rise in Cyber Attacks
In recent years, cyber attacks sponsored by Iran has become an increasing concern. Cyber attack becomes a serious attack figures dramatically in the USA and its allied countries. With the US air strikes on Iran, the cyber attacks on the western targets is inevitable. The Iran tried to resolve cyber attacks against the USA, and its allied countries. The purpose of the cyber attack accurses the transportation infrastructure,cripple business operation systems. The Iran tries to steal information particularly. The US air strikes on Houthis in Yemen will not be confined with the confrontation with the military. The cyber attacks by Iran-sponsored retaliations may cause serious disruptions to the crucial infrastructures or sensitive systems in the West.
They have already been paving the way for more imminent cyber attacks on the US and its allies since the US airstrikes on the Houthis. For example, Iran may have already conducted some operations against the US and its allies. President Joe Biden has finally made good on his 2020 presidential campaign promise to retain and reinforce the existing sanctions on Iran. Iranian proxies may try to exact retaliation against the Western government agencies, financial institutions and providers of critical infrastructure directly affected by the airstrikes. The Iranian response might lead to the global supply chain being affected by Iran targeting Western critical information technology infrastructure and industrial systems.
To hurt the US, Iran will likely try to do so by disrupting US and Western critical systems such as electric power systems and transportation, or by attacking financial and telecommunications systems. Each of these attacks has serious cyber policy and cybersecurity implications, and could cause cascading consequences for major parts of the global economy.
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
Cyber-security experts will have to prepare for an uptick in cyber-attacks and be able to respond accordingly so as to minimise the fallout. escalating geopolitical tensions between Iran and the West, or any prospect of a cyber war between the two sides, will likely trigger an escalation in security measures in the West. Governments and organisations might also invest further resources into cybersecurity threats, ranging from the deployment of sophisticated threat detection tools and encryption protocols to the formulation of detailed incident response plans. Cyber attacks have reached volumes at an unprecedented rate in recent times and it is most likely to continue in 2024.
The recent attacks on the Telecom giants, oil and gas industry, healthcare industry, automobile, intelligence services, utilities, and government agencies are the wake-up call to stay more vigilant and safeguard for the prevention of the cyber attack in 2024. In such moments, Western governments and their organisations must be aware of these threats and increase cybersecurity measures to better protect critical infrastructure and more private data. Everyone states and organisations should be prepared to act proactively in the fight against cyber threats from these actors.
For more cybersecurity news and updates, follow us on Cybersecurity – The SOC Labs.
Disclaimer: This report is based on internal and external research obtained through various means. The information provided is for reference purposes only, and users bear full responsibility for their reliance on it. The SOC Labs assumes no liability for the accuracy or consequences of using this information.
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