Do Houthis receive heavy backing from Iran? I am sure that they will now

"SAFA AL AHMAD: I think that’s vastly overblown. There is very little good journalism that has been done to prove the extent of the relationship between the Houthis in Iran. I don’t doubt that there is a relationship between the Houthis and Iran, but how extensive is that? For people to blatantly call them Iranian-backed Shia militia, I think that is very, very problematic. The Houthis have local agenda, they have local grievances, and local power. The rise of the Houthis themselves had nothing to do with the Iranians. Whether they — I think there is a relationship with the Iranians and the Houthis at the moment, but not to the extent that the world claims there is for Iran. Saudi Arabia has deeper connections with Yemen. They have a large border with Yemen, and the Saudis have funded — sent money directly and arms to different groups inside Yemen. So I would argue between the two, Saudi Arabia has the much bigger influence and the upper hand in Yemen."