Episode 341 - Iran and the Houthis and the war in the Persian Gulf Artwork

Canadian Intelligence Eh

Everywhere you look these days terrorism and violent extremism dominate the headlines. Whether you follow what is happening in Afghanistan or Iraq, or in the West writ large, we are inundated with news of attacks by groups and individuals fighting for a 'cause'.In a world of multiple voices and opinions it can be very hard to know where to turn. One choice is to look to those who actually worked in counterterrorism in the national security world. In these half-hour podcasts 30-year Canadian intelligence veteran Phil Gurski is joined by a fascinating array of individuals with something meaningful to say about these issues as they provide insight into what they mean and what we need to do about them.

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Canadian Intelligence Eh

Episode 341 - Iran and the Houthis and the war in the Persian Gulf

July 31, 2026 • Phil Gurski

0:00 | 22:48

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Iran really likes to sponsor Shia groups worldwide. As the world's largest Shia state, Iran sees itself as a protector of sorts, given that Shiites are far outweighed by Sunni Muslims. One of those benefactors is the Houthi group (known by some as Ansarallah) in Yemen, listed by many, including Canada, as a terrorist group. The Houthis have long been involved in fighting within Yemen, but since the Hamas attack in southern Israel in October 2023, and especially since the US-Israeli war on Iran, it has pushed the boundaries by attacking shipping in the Red Sea and even a few missiles launched at Israel. Iran and the Houthis may be at loggerheads now: how bad is it? I speak with a fellow at the New Lines Institute on these matters.