Iran transferred senior commanders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, military advisors, and advanced weapons components to the Houthis in Yemen on July 13, according to reporting by Reuters citing four sources including two Iranian officials.
The transfer took place via a Mahan Air flight from Tehran originally destined for Sanaa airport, but the aircraft diverted to the port city of Hodeidah after Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces attacked Sanaa airport. According to the Iranian sources who spoke to Reuters under condition of anonymity for security reasons, between 10 and 21 IRGC personnel including senior commanders were aboard.
The equipment included components for short and medium-range missiles and unmanned aerial systems, similar to weapons systems used previously in attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to military analysts cited in the reporting. Iranian sources said the purpose of the deployment is to support Houthi activities and provide training on new missile systems. Reuters also reported that Iran transferred gold aboard the aircraft intended to finance Houthi operations.
Mohammed al-Emrani, spokesman for the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, confirmed details of the Iranian transfer in comments to Reuters, stating that the deployment of IRGC personnel is designed to prepare the militia for threats to international maritime security.
Both Iran and the Houthis deny the reports. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghaei said the July 13 flight carried a Houthi delegation returning from the funeral of Supreme Leader Khamenei, along with Yemeni civilians who had received medical treatment in Iran. Houthi media representative Abdel-Rahman al-Akhanumi, who claimed to have been on the flight, dismissed the accounts as "lies and fiction," stating that all passengers were civilians and that the Houthis develop their own weapons independently.
The transfer comes amid escalating tensions in the Red Sea, where the Houthis have declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia and claimed attacks on Saudi oil tankers, marking an end to a four-year ceasefire between the warring parties.
