Key facts
- Iran transferred IRGC commanders, military advisers, and missile/drone equipment to Yemen on July 13.
- The flight diverted to Hodeidah after the Sanaa airport was attacked by Saudi-backed forces.
- The IRGC personnel are intended to train Houthis on new missile systems and bolster their capabilities.
- Gold was also sent on the flight to fund Houthi activities.
- The Houthis announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia following the incident.
Iran flew Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders, military advisers, and missile and drone-related equipment into Yemen on July 13, according to four sources. The move suggests Tehran is seeking to strengthen the ability of its Houthi allies to threaten Red Sea shipping.
Two Iranian sources told Reuters that between 10 and 21 IRGC personnel, including senior commanders, were on a Mahan Air flight from Tehran. The plane was originally bound for the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa but diverted to Hodeidah after the airport came under attack by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government.
"The IRGC commanders travelled there to support Houthi operations and provide training on new missile systems," one of the sources said, adding that Iran also sent gold on the aircraft to fund Houthi activities. Iran's foreign ministry was not immediately available to comment, and Tehran has repeatedly denied providing the Houthi movement with missile capabilities.
Moammar al-Iryani, information minister in Yemen's Saudi-backed government, confirmed the transfers, citing intelligence. "Their mission is to strengthen the militias' military capabilities and prepare them to threaten international maritime security in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait," he said. Mzahem Alsaloum, a security and intelligence analyst, also confirmed the IRGC experts' arrival, stating that some cargo included components for short- and medium-range missiles and drones.
Three days after the flight arrived, the Houthis announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia in response to the July 13 bombing of Sanaa airport. The group also said it had attacked two Saudi oil tankers, escalating threats to one of the world's top maritime trade routes.