Iran-backed groups step up military preparations across region

The decision comes amid rising U.S.-Iran tensions and Israeli warnings over potential Houthi involvement.

By World Israel News Staff

Iran-backed groups across Yemen and Iraq are increasing military preparedness as fears grow of a broader regional confrontation involving Israel, the United States, and Tehran, according to multiple regional media reports.

In Yemen, the Houthi movement has reportedly elevated its nationwide alert level in anticipation of what it described as potential “aggression.”

Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that the group has initiated expanded military and security preparations, including tests of its air defense systems.

Recent weeks have also seen intensified military activity by forces loyal to the Sana’a authorities.

Ground exercises were carried out in several governorates, including Ibb, Hodeidah, and Sana’a, simulating reconnaissance, surveillance, and assault operations against hypothetical American and Israeli targets. The drills reportedly involved live ammunition as well as medium and light weaponry.

At the governmental level, officials in Sana’a have moved to strengthen emergency coordination mechanisms.

According to the Sana’a-based Saba News Agency, the Emergency Committee convened under Acting Prime Minister Mohammed Muftah to discuss measures aimed at improving national preparedness for possible attacks.

The meeting focused on coordination among government agencies, particularly the Civil Defense Authority responsible for rescue operations and minimizing casualties during emergencies.

The committee approved a series of steps intended to reinforce the emergency response sector and ensure faster operational readiness.

Observers cited by local outlets said the decision reflects precautionary planning amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran and renewed Israeli warnings regarding Houthi involvement in any future regional conflict.

While the Houthis have maintained their formal commitment to a ceasefire arrangement and halted missile launches connected to the Gaza war, officials in Sana’a have not declared an end to confrontation with Israel, leaving open the possibility of renewed escalation.

Parallel concerns are emerging in Iraq, where Iran-aligned Shiite militias are also preparing for potential developments.

The London-based Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported that Iraqi political and security figures fear renewed militia involvement in external conflicts could again draw Iraq into cycles of military retaliation and international rivalry, threatening the country’s fragile security and economic stability.

A senior source within the “Iraqi Resistance Coordination Committee,” an umbrella organization representing several Tehran-linked armed groups, told the outlet that there is a “real and serious tendency among some armed factions” to participate in any anticipated military confrontation between the United States and Iran.

The developments come as regional tensions remain elevated and multiple Iran-aligned groups signal heightened readiness amid ongoing uncertainty over potential escalation involving Israel, the United States, and Iran.

Military preparations reported in both Yemen and Iraq reflect growing concern among armed factions that any wider confrontation could quickly expand across multiple fronts in the region.