Iranian ships spotted off the Yemeni coast to supply the Houthis with weapons and intelligence

Yemeni military sources revealed suspicious and continuous Iranian movements in the international territorial waters off the coast of Yemen, explaining that they had spotted a number of ships stopping next to the suspicious Behshad ship known as (Saviz 2), which anchors off the coast of Yemen and carries an intelligence system, and Iranian experts are present in it, in addition to that it represents a point of unloading and smuggling from Iran to the ports of Hodeidah, Salif, Ras Issa, Kamaran Island, and a number of fishing ports on the long western coasts of Yemen.

The sources said that the Iranian cargo ship (AZARGOUN) stopped in the international waters of the Red Sea on 1-30-2023 next to the Iranian ship (BEHSHAD) known as (Saviz 2) anchored in front of the Yemeni coasts in the international line between the coasts of the governorates of Hodeidah and Hajjah.

French special forces recently intercepted a shipment of Iranian-supplied weapons and ammunition destined for the Tehran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing officials familiar with the operation.

On January 15, a French warship stopped a suspicious vessel off the Yemeni coast and a French team boarded the ship, discovering over 3,000 assault rifles, 20 anti-tank missiles, and half a million rounds of ammunition, the report said.

The operation was coordinated with the US military and is “the outgrowth of a more proactive French role in challenging weapons smuggling in the Middle East,” it said.

There are several observations worth noting concerning Iran's continuous efforts to provide Houthis with sophisticated weapons, including, most recently, the intercepted shipments of missile fuel en route to Yemen. Irina Tsukerman is a New York-based human rights lawyer and national security and geopolitical analyst, told Yemen Details.

First, since the dissolution of the truce, Houthis have increased their attacks inside Yemen also targeting the Red Sea vicinity, which is a threat to international maritime security and energy trade, amidst ongoing global energy crisis and inflation. SImultaneously, Iran has continued targeting oil tankers (such as the Greek vessels captured in May and recently released, and a tanker linked to an Israeli billionaire which was attacked), plotting assassinations, such as another attempt on an Israeli businessman, this time in Georgia, and expanding its reach in various ways. All this leads to an ineluctable conclusion that Iran has both the financial and logistical means to continue with its operations. Tsukerman said.

The Saudi Okaz newspaper viewed a list of ships that were monitored by the sources and were docking near the Iranian intelligence ship (Behshad), which is working to provide the militia with Iranian experts, intelligence, weapons, spare parts for marches and missiles, indicating that most of those ships that dock near Behshad or Saviz 2 are funded by the necessary supplies and transport weapons. Then, the weapons on board were smuggled to Yemeni fishing vessels, which in turn transported those weapons to the Yemeni ports.

The United States Navy and Coast Guard revealed on November 14 that they intercepted an unflagged fishing boat that was transporting 180 tons of explosive material — including ammonium perchlorate used to make fuel for ballistic missiles — from Iran to the Houthis. The Houthis undoubtedly have access to other explosives, but the large shipment suggests they’re planning to resume cross-border attacks soon.

Sources said that the Iranian ship that was monitored is supplying the ship with the Behshad, standing next to it, and unloading cargo and weapons bearing the names (AZARGOUN), (ARTENOS), (ARZIN) and (DAISY), indicating that the Iranian movement in international waters poses a great danger to international navigation, especially since Ship stops near Behshad have increased dramatically in the last six months.

The Houthis have shown little interest in engaging in diplomatic efforts to renew the truce. And in the meantime, they have virtually spelt out their intentions by releasing a three-stage strategy to escalate military operations in Yemen — and abroad. Emily Milliken, the Senior Vice President and Lead Analyst at Askari Associates, told Yemen Details.

She said: "The plan states that the group will target energy infrastructure within Yemen before striking critical Saudi and Emirati infrastructure and eventually attacking international shipping in the Red Sea and Bab al Mandeb Strait".

And it’s clear that the Houthis have already started executing their plan. The rebels attacked oil export facilities at the al Nashima port on October 18 and 19, the Al Dhaba port on October 22 and November 21, and the Qena port on November 9.

Moreover, the Iran-backed group appears to be progressing to the second phase of its plan — cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Even before announcing its blueprint for further conflict, the group renewed threats against both countries and now appears to be preparing for attacks. She added.

Yemeni fishermen sailing from the ports of Mokha, Khokha, and Dhubab had complained of being attacked and threatened by the Iranian ship Saviz, which has anchored off the Yemeni coast since 2018, and they carried out protests calling on the international community to intervene and save them from Iran's terrorism, but the ship itself was attacked by a sticky sea mine succeeded in destroying the engine room in April 2020, and Iranian media outlets accused Israel of being behind the attack.

In August 2021, US officials revealed that the Iranian ship Saviz, which was attacked in April 2020 with Israeli naval mines, was replaced by another ship called Behshad or Saviz 2, confirming that Iran withdrew the Saviz ship and brought a similar ship to collect intelligence in the strategic waterway.

The officials said that the "Behshad", an Iranian ship registered as a general cargo ship, left the port of Bandar Abbas in early July and reached its destination 9 days later, according to satellite images transmitted by CNN, stressing that the ship stopped near the Bab Strait. Mandate.

Saviz, which was attacked by Israel and registered as a cargo ship, was patrolling off the coast of Yemen for 5 years, before returning to Iran with two tugboats after the attack.