Iran reportedly dispatched Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders, military advisers, and missile and drone-related equipment to Yemen this month, according to four sources. This development suggests an effort by Tehran to enhance the capabilities of its Houthi allies to potentially threaten shipping in the Red Sea.
The sources, including two Iranian individuals, Yemen's Information Minister, and a regional security analyst, indicated that the transfer occurred on a Mahan Air flight from Tehran to Yemen on July 13. Between 10 and 21 IRGC personnel, including senior commanders, were reportedly aboard the flight, which was initially destined for the Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa. However, the aircraft diverted to the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah after the Sanaa airport came under attack.
One of the sources stated that the IRGC commanders were sent to support Houthi operations and provide training on new missile systems, with Iran also allegedly sending gold on the aircraft to fund Houthi activities. The deployment provides further evidence of Iran's support for the Houthis, who have been engaged in a protracted civil war and have previously launched missile and drone attacks on regional neighbors. Iran's foreign ministry has not yet commented, and Tehran has consistently denied providing the Houthis with missile capabilities, while the group itself denies being an Iranian proxy.
Moammar al-Iryani, Yemen's Information Minister, confirmed the transfer of personnel and equipment, citing intelligence that indicated their mission was to bolster the Houthis' military capabilities and prepare them to threaten international maritime security in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Mzahem Alsaloum, a security and intelligence analyst, also corroborated the arrival of IRGC experts on the July 13 flight, noting that the cargo included components for short- and medium-range missiles and drones.
This alleged transfer follows a Reuters report that Tehran had asked the Houthi movement to be prepared to close the Red Sea oil route should the United States target Iranian energy infrastructure. Shortly after the commanders' arrival, the Houthis announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, escalating tensions and signaling a potential end to a four-year truce. The group further increased pressure by claiming responsibility for attacking two Saudi oil tankers.
The flight's purpose, according to a press conference by Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson on July 20, was to return a Houthi delegation that had traveled to Tehran for a funeral, as well as Yemeni citizens who received medical treatment in Iran. The aircraft reportedly carried members of this delegation along with the IRGC commanders and advisers on its return journey to Yemen on July 13. The Saudi-backed government's reported strike on Sanaa airport forced the diversion to Hodeidah.
