Yemeni Coast Guard Thwarts Smuggling of Iranian Weapons to Houthis in Red Sea

The busted cell

Yemeni Coast Guard forces in the Red Sea, in coordination with the National Resistance’s General Intelligence Division, successfully thwarted a coordinated smuggling operation of advanced Iranian weapons destined for the Houthi militia. The operation followed the tracking of a cargo vessel named Al-Zahra, which departed from Djibouti’s port en route to the Houthi-controlled Al-Salif Port in Hodeidah.

According to the National Resistance’s military media, the vessel was intercepted in Yemeni territorial waters after receiving precise intelligence about suspicious cargo. The vessel’s crew of five was linked to Houthi leader Hassan Al-Atas, appointed by the militia as director of fisheries in Hodeidah and suspected of involvement in weapons smuggling networks.

Shipment Contents

During the inspection, authorities uncovered a 40-foot container holding:

High-precision winged missile bodies.

Jet engines used in manufacturing suicide drones and guided missiles.

Reconnaissance drones and advanced maritime radars.

Electronic jamming systems and military-grade wireless communication devices.

Confessions and Threats

During interrogations, the crew admitted to taking direct orders from Al-Atas, who concealed the shipment’s true nature by falsely labeling it as “car spare parts” and providing forged documents. The vessel’s captain, Emad Al-Faqih, revealed that Al-Atas had threatened to “eliminate” them if the operation failed.

The incident confirms the ongoing flow of Iranian military support to the Houthis through Hodeidah’s ports, blatantly violating UN Resolutions 2216 and 2231. It also exposes the militia’s lies about “locally manufacturing” weapons and highlights how Houthi-controlled ports serve as smuggling hubs rather than civilian lifelines.

This interception came just 24 hours after the National Resistance announced the arrest of a smuggling network involving nine Iranians and three Pakistanis. The group had arrived from Iran’s Chabahar Port to Hodeidah aboard a dhow carrying suspicious fertilizer shipments—part of Tehran’s direct funding mechanisms for its Yemeni proxies.

The seizure of both shipments underscores escalating Iranian support for the Houthis, raising concerns about the militia’s growing offensive capabilities and threats to Red Sea maritime stability.