Yemen Accuses Iran of Directly Directing Houthi Military Operations

November 9, 2026 | By Semahegn Nigatu

Yemen has accused Iran of moving beyond financing and arming the Houthi movement to directly participating in the planning and direction of its military operations, escalating a diplomatic dispute between the two countries over Tehran's role in the country's prolonged conflict.

In a statement, Yemen's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates rejected recent remarks by Iran's Foreign Ministry, accusing Tehran of interfering in Yemen's internal affairs and providing political cover for the Houthi movement.

The ministry said findings by Yemeni authorities indicated that Iranian involvement had expanded from financing, weapons supplies and training to direct participation in operational planning and management.

It cited an announcement by Yemen's Interior Ministry that 21 foreign experts were working with the Houthis, including 14 members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and seven from Hezbollah.

According to the ministry, the experts were involved in command and control, ballistic missile and drone operations, electronic warfare, military smuggling and the coordination of maritime attacks, including the selection of commercial vessels as targets.

Yemen described the alleged presence of the experts as evidence of direct operational involvement rather than a training role. The claims were not independently substantiated in the statement.

The ministry also accused Iran of exploiting the deaths of victims in the Souq Al-Hadarah incident in the Al-Wazi'iyah district of Taiz to advance allegations against the Yemeni government. It said authorities had called for independent investigations into alleged Houthi violations of human rights and international law.

The statement further accused Tehran of supplying the Houthis with weapons and technical expertise used in attacks against civilians, Saudi Arabian territory and commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Yemen said Iran's support for the movement violated the country's sovereignty and contributed to regional instability. It called on Tehran to stop supplying weapons, withdraw its experts and end interference in Yemen's political and military affairs.

The ministry also invoked United Nations Security Council resolutions 2216 and 2624, arguing that the arms embargo covers weapons, military equipment, technical assistance, training and financing related to military activities involving the Houthis.

The diplomatic exchange comes amid continuing tensions over Iran's support for the Houthi movement and attacks on maritime traffic in the Red Sea. Yemen's statement also praised Saudi Arabia for its humanitarian and development assistance to the country and support for Yemeni expatriates.

Source: FSX Business News