# G7 demands Iran stop arming Houthis in Yemen

> Western powers call out Iranian support for Houthis as fighting escalates and threatens global shipping.
- Title: G7 demands Iran stop arming Houthis in Yemen · BBC News
- Summary: Western powers call out Iranian support for Houthis as fighting escalates and threatens global shipping. The G7 is publicly pressuring Iran to cut military…
- Keywords: iran, houthis, yemen, saudi arabia, weapons shipments, red sea, bab al-mandab strait, shipping routes, un general assembly, military escalation, regional conflict, demands
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwm2qpmepmlzo
- Published: 2026-09-22T04:21:11.661+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: g7, iran, houthis, yemen, saudi arabia, weapons shipments, red sea, bab al-mandab strait, shipping routes, un general assembly, military escalation, regional conflict
## G7 calls out Iran's Houthi support
The foreign ministers of seven major democracies demanded Iran end arming the Houthis in Yemen, saying the group's escalating attacks threaten regional and global energy security.

> We call on the Houthis to immediately cease all military actions, all threats and attacks against civilian shipping.
## Houthis seize key shipping chokepoint
The Iran-backed group took control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a narrow gateway to global shipping routes, forcing thousands of Yemeni refugees to flee the Red Sea coast.
## Iran denies arming the group
Iran has previously denied supplying weapons to the Houthis, claiming it only provides political support. Western powers say UN embargoes have been violated repeatedly.

> Iran has previously denied supplying weapons to the Houthis and says it only supports them politically.
## Escalating attacks on both sides
The Houthis launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Saudi cities including Riyadh, while Saudi Arabia retaliated with hundreds of air strikes across Houthi-controlled territory.
## Civilian toll mounts rapidly
The UN estimates over 120,000 Yemenis have been displaced by recent fighting. Houthi-run media reported strikes killed civilians including children, while government media reported Houthi missiles hit a crowded market.
## Western powers offer military support
The UK pledged air-to-air refuelling for Saudi Arabia, France offered defensive support for Saudi energy infrastructure, and the US president wavered on whether to provide military aid.
## UN experts link Houthis to Iran
A UN panel concluded in 2024 that Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Hezbollah and Iraqi specialists transformed the Houthis into a powerful military force through weapons transfers, training and assistance.
## Ceasefire unravels after a decade
A four-year informal ceasefire began to collapse in July when the Houthis announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia and launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi infrastructure.
## Key takeaway

The G7 is publicly pressuring Iran to cut military support to the Houthis ahead of UN talks, as the group's control of a key shipping strait threatens international trade.