An aerial strike targeting a Houthi training facility in Sanaa has revealed intelligence suggesting the involvement of Russian and Chinese military experts working with the Houthi militia. The strike, which hit a former armored division complex, indicated the site was being used for training Houthi elements with foreign military advisors, including individuals reportedly linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The information, exclusively reported by Sheba Intelligence, emerged following a wave of airstrikes on Houthi military sites in Sanaa and Saada. While the Yemeni armed forces announced strikes on "vital targets" without specifying their nature, intelligence sources suggest the targeted facility was used for Houthi training with foreign experts. The extent of casualties and damage remains unconfirmed, and it is unclear if any foreign experts were present during the attack.
Intelligence assessments indicate a broader network of foreign experts operating with the Houthis in Sanaa. These reportedly include over 50 Russian specialists providing technical support in electronic warfare, jamming systems, counter-drone capabilities, military communications, and satellite-related systems. Their role is understood to focus on enhancing the Houthis' ability to detect and jam drones, interfere with communication systems, and improve reconnaissance and satellite communication technologies.
Furthermore, reports suggest the presence of at least six Chinese experts in Sanaa. Three are believed to specialize in drone systems, two in missile and warhead technologies, and one in communications and satellite fields. Sheba Intelligence notes that these Russian and Chinese experts may not have been at the targeted training center during the raid, as intelligence suggests they utilize separate operational and residential facilities in Sanaa.
Sources claim an underground operations room beneath a building at the University of Science and Technology in Sanaa serves as a base for some foreign experts. The use of academic and technical designations is reportedly a facade for these individuals, presenting them as lecturers or technical consultants. Concurrently, academic programs related to aviation and drones have been introduced at Houthi-controlled universities, though Sheba Intelligence clarifies that the mere existence of such programs does not inherently prove institutional complicity in military activities, but rather suggests the exploitation of an academic framework as a cover.
Sheba Intelligence places these findings within the context of increasing foreign technical and military support for the Houthis, building upon existing Iranian involvement in communications, missile systems, drones, and operational planning. Previous reports from the agency highlighted a military communication network allegedly built with support from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and noted Houthi efforts to acquire Chinese satellite imagery and geospatial data for maritime surveillance and targeting in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb. While these efforts were not directly linked to the six Chinese experts mentioned in the latest report, they underscore a growing trend of non-Iranian technical assistance in advanced military domains.
The intelligence suggests that external technical support for the Houthis now extends beyond Iranian expertise to encompass Russian and Chinese capabilities in electronic warfare, drones, missiles, and satellite communications. However, the exact identity and scale of this foreign presence require further independent verification. These revelations coincide with ongoing airstrikes on Houthi positions in Sanaa and Saada, amidst uncertainty regarding the extent of damage to targeted facilities and whether any foreign experts were casualties of the recent strikes.
