Yemen's Government Blames Iran and Hezbollah for Deploying 21 Military Experts to Aid Houthis
Interior Minister Haidan details the locations and specific roles of the foreign personnel, marking a shift toward direct operational control.
By Rosa Wojcik ·
Yemen’s internationally recognized government has identified 21 foreign military specialists currently operating within Houthi-held territory.
The conflict in Yemen has a long and layered history. Fighting first erupted in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa. Saudi Arabia led an international coalition in 2015 to restore the recognized government. A 2022 ceasefire provided a period of relative quiet, but that calm broke in September when the Houthis took control of the western Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandeb area. Since then, government forces and loyal fighters have engaged the Houthis in five provinces.
Major-General Ibrahim Haidan, the Interior Minister, announced the details of the foreign deployment in a statement on Tuesday. He specified that 14 of the individuals are from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and seven are from Lebanon’s Hezbollah. The government argues this marks a transition from previous support methods, such as financing and training, to direct supervision. Haidan stated that the experts are now involved in planning, managing operations, and building military capabilities.
The statement mapped the distribution of these personnel across key Houthi-controlled cities. Eight of the experts are stationed in Hodeidah. Four are in Sanaa, and another four are in Saada. Two are located in Hajjah, two in Amran, and one is in the coastal city of Khokha. Their listed specialities include command and control, ballistic missiles, drones, and electronic warfare. They are also tasked with smuggling military components, coordinating naval operations, and selecting commercial ships as targets. Additionally, they are developing explosive-laden boats and autonomous submarines while training fighters in mine-laying and siege tactics.
Haidan warned that these activities threaten shipping lanes in the Bab al-Mandeb strait and the Red Sea. He noted that the presence of these experts could transfer military knowledge to other armed groups. The government has called on the international community to designate the Houthis as a terrorist organization. It also urged leaders to dismantle Houthi financing and arms networks and enforce the arms embargo set by United Nations Security Council resolutions 2216 and 2624.
The accusation intensifies ongoing diplomatic tensions. The Yemeni government has long claimed the IRGC supports the Houthis, while Tehran maintains that the Houthis act independently. The Houthis acknowledge an alliance with Iran but deny being a proxy, and Hezbollah has previously rejected a role in the war. Saudi Arabia, which has faced Houthi attacks on its airports and oil facilities in recent weeks, has accused Iran of encouraging the escalation.
Government forces continue to battle the Houthis across five provinces as the presence of these 21 experts reshapes the military dynamics on the ground.
