Yemen gov’t accuses IRGC, Hezbollah of sending 21 experts to back Houthis
Yemen's government has accused Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanon's Hezbollah of sending 21 experts to assist the Houthis with military operations.
Interior Minister Major-General Ibrahim Haidan announced on Tuesday that the experts are assisting the Houthis in planning and directing military operations across Yemen. The statement reveals that foreign involvement has evolved from financing and training to direct participation in military development.
Expert Deployment
According to the Yemeni government, 14 of the experts belong to Iran's IRGC while seven are from Hezbollah. They are deployed across six Yemeni provinces, including Hodeidah, Sanaa, Saada, Hajjah, Amran, and Khokha.
The experts' roles show that foreign involvement has moved from financing, arming and training to 'direct supervision and participation in planning and managing operations and building military capabilities'
Military Specialties
The specialists' capabilities include command and control systems, ballistic missiles and drones, electronic warfare, smuggling military components, naval operations targeting commercial ships, developing explosive-laden boats and autonomous submarines, and training fighters in mine-laying tactics.
Regional Threat
Haidan warned that these activities threaten shipping in the Bab al-Mandeb strait and the Red Sea, potentially transferring military expertise to other armed groups. The government called on the international community to designate the Houthis as terrorists and enforce UN arms embargoes.
These accusations emerge as Yemeni government forces battle the Houthis in five provinces following the group's seizure of western Red Sea coast territories in September, shattering a 2022 ceasefire.
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