Are Houthis using Russian satellites as Saudi Arabia fends off strikes?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that a new investigation has raised questions about whether Russian government and military satellites have been helping the Houthis identify targets in Saudi Arabia. The report says the analysis focused on 40 missile and drone attacks carried out by the Yemen-based, Iran-aligned group between July 1 and October 19, and found Russian satellites observing targeted areas before and after each strike.

The article cites AURORAH GeoSignal Intelligence, a Geneva-based private firm, which says it tracked a range of Russian reconnaissance and early-warning systems, including mapping, optical, radar and electronic-intelligence satellites. The company argues the pattern suggests a broader intelligence relationship that may support Houthi operations in Yemen and attacks on Saudi military and energy infrastructure, including a September strike on pumping stations linked to the East-West oil pipeline.

Al Jazeera notes that the findings do not by themselves prove Russia directly provided data for any specific attack. Analysts quoted in the piece say the evidence could point to several possibilities, including indirect access through Iran or another intermediary. Saudi officials have previously said the Houthis receive intelligence from Russia and China, while the Houthis and their allies have also benefited from Iranian support.

The report places the claims in the wider context of Yemen’s conflict, where fighting with the Saudi-backed government has intensified and regional involvement has grown. If verified, the reported intelligence links would suggest the war is becoming more entangled with broader rivalries involving Russia, Iran and Gulf states.