Sources tell Sheba Intelligence the meeting discussed Iranian support options for the Houthis, including the possible provision of biological weapons and chemical bombs in response to potential offensives against Hodeidah and Saada.

Houthi military leaders held a closed-door meeting at a secret facility in the capital, Sanaa, on Monday evening, attended by liaison officers from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), to assess the military repercussions of the Yemeni government forces’ “Dawn of Yemen” operation, according to information obtained by Sheba Intelligence.

The meeting focused particularly on rapidly evolving developments along Yemen’s western coast, including Bab al-Mandab and Mocha, and their impact on Houthi forces and military planning in the area.

According to the sources, the meeting was chaired by Yusuf Hassan Ismail al-Madani (Abu Hussein), the Houthi Chief of Staff and former commander of the Fifth Military Region. Sheba Intelligence sources say al-Madani continues to exercise significant operational oversight over forces and military files associated with the Fifth Military Region, which encompasses much of the Houthi military presence along Yemen’s western coastal areas.

Also attending was Abdullah Yahya al-Hakim (Abu Ali al-Hakim), head of the Houthis’ Military Intelligence and Reconnaissance Authority, alongside other Houthi commanders and officers and IRGC liaison officers.

Fallout from Developments on the Coast and Bab al-Mandab

The sources said a central focus of the meeting was the military situation in Bab al-Mandab, Mocha and the western coast, and the consequences of Operation “Dawn of Yemen” for Houthi deployments and military plans in those areas.

Participants also reviewed the expansion of government military operations in Taiz and along the coast, as well as fighting on other fronts, including Marib, Saada, Al-Bayda, Hajjah and Al-Jawf.

According to the information obtained by Sheba Intelligence, Houthi commanders described the government offensive during the meeting as being conducted with “American, British and Israeli backing and authorization.”

The participants discussed measures they considered necessary to respond to the new phase of military operations.

Emergency Measures to Reinforce Taiz and the Western Coast

The meeting approved a package of urgent military measures aimed at reinforcing Houthi fronts in Taiz and along the western coast and responding to pressure generated by the government offensive.

Discussions covered the condition of Houthi forces deployed across the coastal fronts, immediate military requirements for reinforcing those positions, and possible scenarios should government forces continue expanding their operations following recent developments around Mocha and Bab al-Mandab.

Al-Madani’s role in directing the meeting is particularly significant because of his previous command of the Fifth Military Region and his longstanding involvement in Houthi military operations across Hodeidah, Hajjah and the western coastal theater before becoming Chief of Staff.

Houthis Seek Urgent Iranian Support

The sources said the meeting discussed directly with IRGC liaison officers the possibility of Iran providing urgent military support to Houthi forces as they respond to developments on the battlefield.

Part of the discussion focused on the risks the Houthis could face if government operations expand toward additional areas, particularly Hodeidah and Saada, two areas of major strategic and military importance to the group.

According to the sources, Houthi commanders presented their immediate requirements and discussed options for assistance that the IRGC could provide as the military campaign continues.

Biological Weapons and Chemical Bombs Among Options Discussed

In the most serious information emerging from the meeting, the sources said the options discussed with IRGC officers included the possible provision of biological weapons and chemical bombs to the Houthis in response to the potential expansion of government military operations toward Hodeidah and Saada.

According to the information obtained by Sheba Intelligence, the issue was raised as part of broader discussions over the forms of Iranian support that could be provided to Houthi forces as their leadership assesses the possibility that the current offensive could expand into areas considered central to the group’s military infrastructure.

The meeting comes amid a rapidly changing battlefield following the launch of Operation “Dawn of Yemen” and the expansion of fighting across several fronts. Developments around Bab al-Mandab, Mocha and Yemen’s western coastwere at the center of the Houthi leadership’s assessment of the military situation and its preparations for the next phase of the conflict.