Yemen’s Houthis Step up Defense Systems in Sanaa Amdist Their Continued Threats of Ships in the Red Sea and Assualts on Marib

As the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group continues to threaten Israeli ships in the international trade lanes in the Red Sea, the group expects strikes on their military capabilities, especially in the capital, Sana’a. A military source told Sheba Intelligence that the Houthi group has lately transferred a defense system from the Bani Hashish area to Jabal al-Abrash in the capital, Sana’a.

Despite fears of attacks by international forces on the Houthi camps, the Houthis have keptmobilizing towards Marib in an unprecedented manner.

Sources said that the Houthis were able to take over three small government forces positions near Harib, south of Marib, during their attacks in the past few days. 

According to the sources, the Houthi group installed Katyusha missile launch pads and deployed vehicles carrying self-propelled artillery,and other vehicles carried a large number offighters in the Mansam area in Al-Bayda, south of Marib. From Mansam area, the group can launch military operations in Harib, Al-Abdiyah, and the southern fronts of Marib, in addition to Mukayrasand Al-Zahir in Al-Bayda.

As for northern Marib, the Houthis are heading toward Al-Jadafar and Al-Alamein in Al-Jawf, and crowds of Houthi fighters were seen as they were heading to the frontlines in Marib province.

Military observers say the Houthi escalation in the Red Sea is media propaganda as the group is preparing to launch attacks on Marib, Taiz, and the rest of the government-controlled areas.

A military source in the government army told Sheba Intelligence earlier this month that the Houthis have a military priority at this stage of an economic nature, as they have an ambition to control the oil and gas fields in Marib province to the east of Yemen.

Houthi leaders justify their military deployment in Marib, Al-Hudaydah, and Taiz as a pre-emptive step to counter plans by Israel’s allies in Yemen. 

The deputy minister of foreign affairs in the Houthi government, Hussein Al-Ezzi, said in a recent post, “The Israeli entity asked one of the aggression countries to move some of its mercenaries to attack Sanaa, and we hope they would not do. Otherwise,  we prepare to eliminate the mercenaries.”

Since October 19, the Houthi group has firedseveral drones and missiles at Israel and the American forces in the Red Sea in support of Gaza, which has been bombed by Israel since October 7. Lately, the Houthi group seized an Israeli-linked ship in the Red Sea off Yemen, sparking concerns about the safety of the international shipping routes.   Observers say the recent Houthi military moves risk plunging Yemen into a new chapter of war.