Follow-up: Mahan Air Flight to Sana’a Raises Concerns Over Possible Transfer of Experts and Sensitive Equipment to the Houthis

  New information indicates that equipment was unloaded from the Iranian aircraft after its arrival in Sana’a, while dozens of new specialists reportedly entered Yemen and others left with the Houthi delegation traveling to Tehran.

       New information obtained by Sheba Intelligence raises concerns that the recent Mahan Air flight to Sana’a may have been used not only for political and medical arrangements, but also to move specialists and sensitive equipment to the Houthi group.

According to the information, equipment was unloaded from the Iranian aircraft shortly after its arrival at Sana’a International Airport and transferred onto trucks in an operation that continued for an extended period inside or near the airport area. The nature of the equipment has not yet been independently verified.

The information also indicates that dozens of new specialists arrived in Sana’a in connection with the flight, while other experts left Yemen with the Houthi delegation that traveled to Tehran. It remains unclear whether the specialists were linked to military, technical, logistical, medical, or communications-related files, but the timing and profile of the flight have added to concerns over its broader purpose.

Sheba Intelligence had earlier tracked the arrival of the Mahan Air aircraft before dawn Friday under flight code IRM1199 / W51199. Flight-tracking screenshots showed the aircraft, identified as an Airbus A340-300 — A343, approaching Sana’a from the east between around 02:01 and 02:23 UTC, equivalent to 05:01–05:23 Sana’a time.

Initial information had linked the flight to the transfer of a Houthi delegation to Tehran to attend the funeral ceremonies of late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, a point later reinforced by the appearance of Houthi representatives in images and footage from the funeral events in Iran. However, the new information suggests that the flight may not have been limited to political or protocol-related travel. Concerns are growing that it may also have been used as cover for moving equipment and specialists into Sana’a, while other experts reportedly left with the delegation or under arrangements connected to the same flight.

Earlier information also indicated that the aircraft carried a medical evacuation team tasked with transferring a senior figure at the top of the Houthi hierarchy to Tehran for treatment after he suffered angina linked to complications from chronic kidney failure. This means the flight may have combined several missions: political travel, medical evacuation, and potentially the rotation of personnel and equipment.

The use of an Airbus A340-300 is significant from a technical perspective. The aircraft is a long-range, wide-body, four-engine jet with enough capacity to carry accompanying teams, equipment, and larger cargo compared with smaller aircraft. The Tehran–Sana’a route is also well within the aircraft’s operational range, whether flown directly or through a wider corridor near or through Omani airspace.

The flight carries additional sensitivity because of Mahan Air’s sanctions profile. The airline has been under U.S. sanctions for years over accusations that it provided transportation and logistical support linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Quds Force. Its arrival in Sana’a therefore raises renewed questions about the use of the airport as a direct channel between the Houthis and Tehran.

The available information does not confirm the type of equipment unloaded from the aircraft. However, sources familiar with the matter warned that such a route could be exploited to move sensitive technology, communications systems, surveillance equipment, drone-related components, missile-related expertise, or other specialized tools that may strengthen Houthi capabilities.

These concerns come amid heightened focus on Houthi military activity linked to the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab, missile deployments, drones, and maritime operations. Any confirmed transfer of new experts or advanced equipment through a direct Iranian air channel would represent a sensitive development and could increase regional concerns over the group’s future operational capabilities.

The flight now raises several questions: what type of equipment was unloaded, who the newly arrived specialists were, which experts left with the delegation, what air corridor was used, and what understandings allowed the aircraft to reach Sana’a despite the security and political restrictions surrounding the airport.