Sources tell Sheba Intelligence that the Meraj-532 drone entered Houthi arsenals in 2025, as government forces capture strategic mountain positions near Al-Hazm.

Yemeni government forces have uncovered stockpiles of sophisticated weapons belonging to the Houthis, including tactical drones and offensive munitions, during their latest military advances in the northeastern province of Al-Jawf.

Field sources told Sheba Intelligence that among the recovered weapons was an Iranian-made one-way attack drone, preliminarily identified as the Meraj-532, a loitering munition unveiled by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in 2023.

The drone features a missile-like fuselage and, according to Iranian specifications, carries a 50-kilogram warhead, has an operational range of approximately 450 kilometers, and can remain airborne for up to three hours.

The discovery comes as government forces consolidate gains in mountainous areas surrounding Al-Hazm, the provincial capital, as part of the ongoing Dawn of Yemen military operation.

From Mocha to Al-Jawf: Tracing the Drone's Movement

According to field sources speaking to Sheba Intelligence, the Meraj-532 reached Houthi-controlled territory in early 2025.

The sources said the drone was subsequently among weapons seized by the National Resistance Forces in the western coastal city of Mocha. Following the Houthis' capture of the city during recent military operations, the group reportedly recovered those previously confiscated weapons.

The drone has now reportedly resurfaced in weapons stockpiles discovered during the government's advance in Al-Jawf.

If independently corroborated, this sequence would provide an unusual account of how an Iranian-designed weapon moved between opposing forces before being recovered on a different battlefield.

Sheba Intelligence obtained an image of the recovered object, showing a missile-shaped body secured inside a wooden transport container. However, the platform has not independently verified its precise technical identification or the reported chain of custody.

Government Forces Capture Mountain Positions Near Al-Hazm

Meanwhile, Yemeni government forces have captured the Duhaydhah mountain positions in Al-Jawf, according to field sources, marking another development in their ongoing offensive around the provincial capital.

The advance follows fighting along the Huwayshan mountain range, as government troops continue operations in the surrounding highlands.

The Al-Maraziq military camp and the Upper Al-Labanat military base remain outside the territory confirmed to have been captured by government forces.

The latest gains form part of Operation Dawn of Yemen, during which government forces have reported capturing military positions and recovering weapons and equipment from Houthi-held areas across several fronts.

Questions Over Iranian Weapons Supplies

The reported discovery of the Meraj-532 raises further questions about the types of Iranian-designed weapons available to the Houthis and the routes through which such systems have entered Yemen.

Iran publicly introduced the Meraj-532 in April 2023 as a loitering munition designed for strikes against military targets, including command facilities and equipment.

While the drone's publicly reported specifications are consistent with the model identified by field sources, further technical examination would be required to establish whether the recovered object is an original Iranian-manufactured Meraj-532 or another system with similar characteristics.

The findings could provide additional material evidence for investigations into the Houthi movement's weapons inventories and the circulation of Iranian-designed military technology during Yemen's continuing conflict.