Iran transports IRGC commanders and missile gear to Yemen

Iran sent senior military commanders and missile equipment to Yemen on July 13 in a move that has significantly escalated regional tensions and contributed to a new blockade and attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, according to multiple sources. The deployment involved between 10 and 21 personnel from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including senior commanders and military advisers, who were flown from Tehran aboard a Mahan Air flight.

The aircraft, originally bound for the Houthi-controlled capital of Sanaa, was forced to divert to the port city of Hodeidah after the Sanaa airport came under attack by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government. According to sources, the IRGC commanders traveled to support Houthi operations and provide training on new missile systems. The flight also reportedly carried gold to fund Houthi activities.

Yemen's Information Minister, Moammar al-Iryani, confirmed the transfer, stating that intelligence indicated the mission was to strengthen the militia's capabilities to threaten international maritime security in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Security analyst Mzahem Alsaloum said the cargo included components for short and medium-range...