Iran Flies Revolutionary Guards Commanders and Missile Parts to Yemen Amid Rising Tensions

According to a Reuters report citing four sources, including two Iranian insiders, Iran recently transported senior commanders from its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), military advisors, and advanced missile and drone components to Yemen. This transfer, which took place on July 13 via a Mahan Air flight from Tehran, aims to bolster the military capabilities of the Houthi rebels and increase threats to international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

The flight was originally destined for Sanaa airport, controlled by the Houthis, but was diverted to the port city of Hodeidah after Sanaa was attacked by Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi Arabia. Iranian sources revealed that between 10 and 21 IRGC personnel, including senior commanders, were aboard. The mission reportedly includes training the Houthis on new missile systems and delivering gold to finance their operations.

An intelligence analyst quoted by Reuters indicated the cargo contained short- and medium-range missile parts and drone components similar to those used in previous attacks on Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Yemen’s Saudi-backed Information Minister, Moammar Al-Eryani, confirmed these details, stating the IRGC members are preparing the Houthis to threaten international maritime security.

This development coincides with escalating conflict in the region. Shortly after the flight, Tehran reportedly urged the Houthis to prepare to block oil routes in the Red Sea if the US attacks Iranian energy infrastructure. The Houthis subsequently imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, ending a four-year ceasefire, and claimed attacks on two Saudi oil tankers.

Both Iran and the Houthis have denied the allegations. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghai, said the July 13 flight was for returning a Houthi delegation that attended Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s funeral and for transporting Yemeni civilians receiving medical treatment in Iran. Houthi media figure Abd al-Rahman al-Ahnoumi, who claimed to be on the flight, dismissed the reports as "lies and fabrications," emphasizing that all passengers were civilians and that the Houthis develop their weapons independently without acting as an Iranian proxy.