A Sanaa meeting overseen by Iran’s ambassador approved full combat readiness, while government forces and Al-Jawf tribes reorganize for a possible confrontation

      Intelligence sources told Sheba Intelligence that the Houthi group is close to announcing a return to war against Yemen’s internationally recognized government following a high-level meeting in Sanaa that approved full military readiness.

According to the sources, the meeting was overseen by Ali Mohammad Rezaei, Iran’s ambassador to the Houthi authorities in Sanaa, and identified three priority theaters for potential high-impact attacks: the Marib–Al-Jawf front, the Taiz–Bab al-Mandab front, and Yemen’s border with Saudi Arabia.

The information comes as Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree announced that the group’s armed forces would issue a statement on Monday declaring “an important position.” Saree did not disclose its content, but the timing—amid simultaneous ground and maritime movements—strengthens indications that efforts to contain the escalation may have failed.

The announcement could concern the internal war, cross-border operations against Saudi Arabia, or an expansion of maritime activity in the Red Sea. Its precise meaning, however, cannot be established before the statement is issued.

The Iranian Ambassador’s Role

Rezaei has served as Iran’s ambassador to the Houthi authorities since August 2024. Before his latest public appearances in Sanaa, Sheba Intelligence had revealed that he attended a senior meeting involving Houthi officials and Iranian representatives, indicating that Tehran’s envoy had resumed an active role in political and military coordination.

Yemeni government officials subsequently alleged that Rezaei returned to Houthi-controlled territory aboard the first Mahan Air flight from Tehran, accompanied by Iranian experts and military supplies.

Sheba Intelligence had separately reported that the aircraft may have transported highly sensitive equipment and specialized military materiel. Sources raised the possibility that part of the cargo could have been biological in nature, but Sheba Intelligence has not independently verified the contents of the shipment or obtained physical evidence supporting that specific possibility.

The ambassador’s reported supervision of the latest Sanaa meeting would place these earlier developments within a broader pattern of renewed Iranian involvement in Houthi military preparations.

Coordinated Ground and Maritime Movements

Two Houthi movements were reported almost simultaneously in southern Al-Hudaydah and the Red Sea.

Troops from the 14th Infantry Brigade of the National Resistance’s First Division confronted a Houthi attempt to advance toward Jabal Dabbas in Hays district. The attackers withdrew following direct clashes, according to the National Resistance’s military media. The same area witnessed deadly fighting earlier in July and has become a persistent pressure point on the southern Al-Hudaydah front.

At sea, the National Resistance’s naval forces said they intercepted armed Houthi boats attempting to approach Zuqar Island from the direction of the international shipping lane. The boats were forced to retreat north toward Al-Faza, according to the statement. The Houthis have not publicly explained the operation’s objective. 

The timing and geographical proximity of the two incidents suggest that the Houthis may be testing government defenses across the corridor extending from southern Al-Hudaydah to the strategic islands near Bab al-Mandab.

Sheba Intelligence previously revealed a Houthi plan to conduct a naval exercise simulating the closure of Bab al-Mandab as part of contingency preparations that could be activated upon receiving orders.

Reinforcements Move Toward Taiz

Local sources in Yemen’s central regions told Sheba Intelligence that the Houthis are sending substantial reinforcements toward Taiz despite some fighters reportedly not receiving salaries or financial bonuses for at least two months.

The deployments indicate that the group is prioritizing operational readiness despite growing financial pressure within its forces.

Reinforcing the Taiz fronts would not only increase pressure on the city. It could also support Houthi efforts to improve their positions along routes leading toward the western coast and Bab al-Mandab, linking inland ground operations to potential maritime escalation.

Government Forces Reach Peak Readiness

On the opposite side, a government military official told Sheba Intelligence that the readiness of government forces had reached its highest level and that the armed forces’ leadership had reorganized several fronts to prepare for the possible declaration of “zero hour.”

In a public indication of these preparations, Brigadier General Abdullah Al-Sabri, commander of the Special Security Forces in Marib, ordered security and combat readiness to be raised to the maximum level in response to escalating threats. The directive was issued under instructions from Yemen’s senior political, military and security leadership.

Meanwhile, the tribes assembled in the Al-Rayyan desert of Al-Jawf have reorganized their fighters to establish a forward defensive front toward Houthi-controlled areas of the governorate.

Sheba Intelligence previously reported that the Houthis had mobilized forces in Al-Jawf and Marib to contain the Al-Rayyan tribal movement. A subsequent report revealed preparations for a possible assault on the encampment involving up to 10,000 fighters, alongside indications that drones could be used against tribal figures.

Muscat Talks Appear Close to Failure

The military escalation comes amid expectations that the Muscat negotiations involving Oman, the UN envoy, Saudi Arabia and the Houthis may fail to contain the crisis.

The negotiations will be addressed separately by Sheba Intelligence. However, sources indicate that the Houthis have raised their demands beyond their previous conditions concerning salary payments and reconstruction funding.

The group is now reportedly demanding a share of Yemen’s oil and gas revenues proportionate to what it claims is the population living under its control—more than 70 percent of Yemen’s population. That figure is a Houthi claim and has not been independently verified.

The combination of higher negotiating demands, military mobilization across three fronts and an impending Houthi military statement suggests that the group is preparing for the possibility of a breakdown in the Muscat process.

While the escalation may still be intended to strengthen the Houthis’ negotiating position, the scale and geographic spread of the preparations indicate that the group is also building credible options for simultaneous ground, maritime and cross-border operations.