Exclusive Reuters reporting alleges Iran transported IRGC commanders, missile and drone equipment to Yemen’s Houthis, raising concerns over Red Sea security, maritime trade and escalating regional tensions
By Saxafi Media Staff
HARGEISA — Iran secretly transported senior commanders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), military advisers and missile-related equipment to Yemen earlier this month in a move aimed at strengthening the Houthi movement’s military capabilities, according to an exclusive Reuters investigation citing multiple sources.
The reported deployment comes amid escalating tensions in the Red Sea, renewed Houthi attacks on Saudi shipping and growing concerns over maritime security in one of the world’s busiest trade corridors.
IRGC Personnel Allegedly Arrived on July 13 Flight
According to four sources cited by Reuters—including two Iranian sources, Yemen’s information minister and a regional security analyst—Iran used a Mahan Air flight on July 13 to transport between 10 and 21 IRGC personnel, including senior commanders, into Houthi-controlled Yemen.
The aircraft was initially scheduled to land in Sanaa, but reportedly diverted to the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah after the airport came under attack by forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized, Saudi-backed government.
One Iranian source told Reuters:
“The IRGC commanders travelled there to support Houthi operations and provide training on new missile systems.”
The same source alleged that the aircraft also carried gold intended to finance Houthi operations.
Missile and Drone Components Reportedly Delivered
Security analyst Mzahem Alsaloum, who has monitored Iranian-backed armed groups for years, told Reuters that the cargo allegedly included components for short- and medium-range missiles as well as drone systems.
According to Alsaloum, the weapons resemble systems previously used in attacks against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The reported transfer has heightened concerns that Tehran is expanding military support for the Houthis despite longstanding Iranian denials.
Houthi Official Rejects Allegations
A Houthi media official, Abdel Rahman al-Ahnomi, who said he was aboard the July 13 flight, rejected the Reuters report.
“These are lies and fabrications,” he said.
According to al-Ahnomi, everyone aboard the aircraft was a civilian, and no military personnel or equipment were transported.
The Houthis have consistently denied acting as an Iranian proxy and maintain that they independently manufacture their own weapons.
Iran has likewise repeatedly denied supplying the movement with missile capabilities.
Escalation in the Red Sea
The reported deployment came just days before a series of major Houthi announcements that significantly raised tensions in the region.
Reuters previously reported that Tehran instructed the Houthis to prepare to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait and disrupt Red Sea shipping if the United States attacked Iran’s power infrastructure.
Three days after the reported arrival of the Iranian flight, the Houthis announced a naval blockade targeting Saudi Arabia.
On Thursday, the group claimed responsibility for attacks on two Saudi oil tankers, further escalating threats to one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.
Yemen Government: Mission Was to Strengthen Houthi Capabilities
Yemen’s Information Minister Moammar al-Iryani, representing the internationally recognized government, confirmed to Reuters that intelligence indicated IRGC personnel had entered Yemen aboard the flight.
He said their objective was clear.
“Their mission is to strengthen the militias’ military capabilities and prepare them to threaten international maritime security in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.”
Tehran Says Flight Was Humanitarian
Iran has offered a different explanation for the July 13 flight.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the aircraft had been transporting members of a Houthi delegation returning from Tehran after attending the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with Yemeni civilians who had received medical treatment in Iran.
According to Reuters’ sources, however, the return flight also carried IRGC commanders and military advisers.
Red Sea Security Under Renewed Pressure
The latest allegations come as the Red Sea faces one of its most volatile security environments in years.
Recent Houthi threats against commercial shipping, attacks on Saudi vessels and increasing regional tensions involving Iran have raised fears over the safety of global energy supplies and international maritime trade.
If confirmed, the reported deployment would represent one of the clearest indications that Iran is actively reinforcing Houthi military capabilities at a time of rapidly escalating confrontation across the Red Sea and Gulf region.
Iran has not officially commented on Reuters’ latest findings, while the Houthis continue to deny receiving military assistance from Tehran.
