Yemen Says 21 IRGC and Hezbollah Experts Direct Houthi Military and Maritime Operations
Sheba Intelligence Previously Exposed Iranian Command Networks, Military Planning and Operations in Bab al-Mandab
Yemen’s Interior Minister, Major General Ibrahim Ali Haidan, said 21 foreign military experts, including 14 members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and seven from Lebanon’s Hezbollah, are involved in directing and supporting Houthi military operations in Yemen.
In a statement issued by the Interior Ministry, Haidan said the foreign personnel had moved beyond providing weapons, training and technical assistance to directly supervising military planning, command-and-control operations and the development of advanced military capabilities.
According to the minister, eight experts are based in Hodeidah, four in Sana’a, four in Saada, two in Hajjah, two in Amran and one in Al-Khawkhah, a district within Hodeidah governorate.
Their alleged responsibilities include ballistic and cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, electronic warfare, radar and communications systems, military supply networks and weapons smuggling.
Haidan also accused the experts of coordinating maritime attacks, selecting commercial vessels as targets, developing explosive-laden boats and autonomous underwater vehicles, and training Houthi fighters in urban warfare and mine deployment.
The minister described the group as a fully functioning military command structure rather than a conventional training mission.
He further alleged that a senior IRGC officer publicly presenting himself as an Iranian ambassador was overseeing military operations and advising the Houthis on strategic decisions. The statement did not identify the officer by name.
The ministry did not release the identities of the 21 experts or supporting evidence that would allow independent verification of their roles and locations.
Sheba Intelligence’s Earlier Investigations
The Interior Ministry’s announcement follows a series of investigations published by Sheba Intelligence documenting alleged Iranian command structures, military advisers and operational planning involving the Houthis.
In July 2026, Sheba Intelligence reported that an Iranian diplomatic representative in Houthi-controlled Sana’a had overseen discussions on military escalation across Marib, Al-Jawf, Taiz and Bab al-Mandab.
In August, the platform reported that senior IRGC figure Abdul Reza Shahlai had met Houthi military commanders to discuss an Iranian-backed plan involving Marib and the western coast.
In September, Sheba Intelligence published investigations into an alleged IRGC-led offensive plan targeting Yemen’s western coast and a 12-member Iranian command team reportedly coordinating operations linked to Bab al-Mandab.
These findings preceded the Yemeni government’s latest disclosure of 14 IRGC and seven Hezbollah experts. However, it remains unconfirmed whether individuals identified in the earlier investigations are among the 21 personnel cited by the Interior Ministry.
In October, Sheba Intelligence also reported on an alleged Iranian plan to regain control of Bab al-Mandab and examined the public reappearance of Iran’s representative to the Houthis amid military developments around the strategic waterway.
The Interior Ministry’s reference to an IRGC officer operating under diplomatic cover echoes questions raised in those reports, although the ministry did not identify the individual or establish a direct connection.
Threats to Red Sea Shipping
Haidan warned that the alleged Iranian and Hezbollah presence posed a threat to international shipping, energy supplies and maritime security in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab.
He accused Tehran of exercising decisive influence over Houthi military decisions and called for stronger international measures to dismantle the group’s financing and weapons supply networks, including enforcement of UN Security Council resolutions 2216 and 2624.
The minister also linked the foreign military presence to the continued siege of Taiz and reaffirmed the Interior Ministry’s support for the government’s ongoing Operation Dawn of Yemen.
The latest announcement adds an official Yemeni account to allegations previously examined by Sheba Intelligence concerning the extent of Iranian involvement in Houthi military operations.
However, the precise command relationships, identities of the foreign personnel and their operational responsibilities remain subject to independent verification.
