Seized Iranian weapons are being transferred to the units that intercept them, while some components have been repurposed for the government’s one-way attack drone programme

Some of the weapons shipments sent by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to the Houthis are ending up in the hands of the Yemeni forces fighting them, after being intercepted at sea or seized along overland smuggling routes.

Military sources told Sheba Intelligence that rifles, ammunition, shells and other conventional weapons are inspected, registered and generally transferred to the units that carried out the seizure, reinforcing their battlefield stocks.

More advanced equipment—including missile parts, drone components, guidance systems and communications technology—is handled under the supervision of Yemen’s Ministry of Defence and specialised technical teams.

Some usable drone components seized from shipments destined for the Houthis have also been repurposed for government drone programmes, particularly for assembly, maintenance and technical development, according to the sources.

The recent emergence of one-way attack drones among Yemeni government forces provides a further indication that seized technology has moved beyond intelligence analysis and into operational use.

This does not mean that the drones were built entirely from confiscated components. Other systems have arrived through foreign military assistance. However, Sheba Intelligence understands that some seized engines, electronic circuits, control units, sensors and other technical components have been incorporated into government programmes.

Maritime Shipments Become a Military Resource

The latest series of interceptions began on June 30, when the Giants Brigades stopped a boat in the Bab al-Mandab Strait carrying equipment used to manufacture drones and explosive-laden boats. The cargo was reportedly bound for Houthi-controlled areas in Hodeidah.

On July 14, Giants Brigades naval patrols intercepted another boat carrying materials and equipment intended for weapons production. The vessel was stopped following an intelligence-led surveillance operation in Bab al-Mandab. Its crew was detained, and the cargo was transferred to the relevant authorities for inspection.

The latest interception occurred on the evening of August 26, when naval forces affiliated with the National Resistance seized a traditional cargo boat in the Red Sea carrying equipment used in drone production.

Military media linked to the National Resistance said the shipment had been sent by the IRGC and was on its way to the Houthis. A detailed inventory has not yet been released.

Hours later, the same naval forces intercepted five Houthi boats attempting to approach government-held islands overlooking the international shipping lane. The vessels were forced to withdraw north towards the Hodeidah coast. The forces also shot down a drone conducting reconnaissance ahead of the boats’ movement. 

The drone components recovered in such operations are inspected before officials determine which items can be reused and which should be retained for technical and intelligence analysis.

The Overland Supply Route

Interceptions have not been limited to the sea. On August 13, Yemeni customs authorities thwarted attempts to smuggle 23 fibre-optic units through the Al-Wadiah border crossing, along with 3,687 electronic components seized in Aden’s Free Zone.

The seized items included control boards, precision sensors and other components that can be used to manufacture or upgrade drones. A customs source said the equipment was destined for a Houthi-linked recipient in Amran province.

Beyond their potential reuse, the components give government specialists insight into the technologies the Houthis are seeking to acquire, including control systems designed to resist electronic jamming.

On August 25, Nation’s Shield forces stopped a vehicle in Shehin district, Al-Mahra, carrying 142 mortar rounds, 10 mortar fuzes, 13 Kalashnikov rifles and 14 shotgun cartridges.

Unlike specialised missile and drone technology, such weapons and ammunition can be returned to service after inspection and registration. According to the sources, conventional weapons are generally retained by the unit that intercepted them, turning counter-smuggling operations into an additional source of battlefield supplies.

Supply Lines Working in Reverse

Each interception gives the government forces three potential gains: denying the Houthis a shipment, adding conventional weapons to the stocks of the units that seized them, and using advanced equipment to develop military capabilities or study Iranian technology.

The reversal is most visible in the government’s expanding one-way attack drone capability. Components originally sent to improve Houthi strike systems have, in some cases, been captured and incorporated into the assembly, maintenance or development of systems operated by their opponents.

IRGC supply lines are therefore producing two opposing outcomes. Shipments that reach their destination reinforce the Houthi arsenal; those that are intercepted can strengthen the Yemeni forces fighting them.

In some cases, weapons sent to the Houthis are returning to the battlefield—pointed in the opposite direction.