How do Iranians manage to send weapons to the Houthis in Yemen?

The Houthi terrorists, who control much of Yemen, have emerged as a potent military force, largely thanks to covert backing from Iran.

Ballistic missiles, drones and explosive boats, many of Iranian origin, have enabled the Houthis to attack a large number of commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea, as well as targets in Israel and Saudi Arabia.

But how do these weapons manage to cross thousands of kilometers under the watchful eye of international coalitions?

Main maritime routes

Weapons are transported by sea from Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf to the Houthi-controlled west coast of Yemen using small boats or merchant ships to avoid detection.

These weapons leave from ports such as Bandar Abbas and Chabahar, which are used to load weapons onto fishing boats or ships flying flags of convenience, according to news agency reports.

The shipments sail through the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden, passing near Oman or Somalia, before reaching the Red Sea or Houthi ports such as Hodeida. Some are transferred on the high seas to smaller ships operated by the Houthis.

Weapons are hidden in legal cargo or secret compartments. Missiles and drones are disassembled into pieces for easy transport and assembly in Yemen, the Washington Institute noted in a report released in 2020.

The US Navy and allies have intercepted shipments containing missiles, drones and rifles in the Gulf of Oman.

This smuggling network is led by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Overland routes

Some funds and light weapons move from Iran through Iraq, Saudi Arabia or Oman to Yemen, taking advantage of porous borders.

In Iraq, allied Shiite militias move them south, sometimes as far as the Saudi-Yemeni border.

The border between Oman and Yemen, especially at Mahra, is used to smuggle small arms through areas such as Shehen, where central authority is weak.

However, these routes are less frequent due to Saudi surveillance and complex logistics, being used more for cash or small arms than for missiles.

Delivery mechanisms

Iran uses networks of smugglers, middlemen and front companies, with support from the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, to move weapons to Yemen.

Smugglers in Yemen, Oman and Somalia, motivated by profit, facilitate the transport. Companies in China and Hong Kong have also shipped components. In fact, the US Treasury Department sanctioned companies on Chinese soil and Iran for facilitating smuggling to the Houthis.

Hezbollah coordinates logistics and trains the Houthis in weapons assembly, with advisors in Yemen.

Weapons are offloaded onto Houthi ships in the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden, using GPS for night deliveries.

Hodeida, under Houthi control, is key to receiving shipments, with bribes and intimidation of inspectors, Al-Monitor said in a report.

Iran denies smuggling. It claims the Houthis develop their own weapons, but the similarity to Iranian technology (such as Shahed drones) disproves this.