On March 24, Yemen Internationally Recognized Government authorities (IRG) reported the interception of 800 Chinese drone-propellers being smuggled, according to IRG sources, to the Houthis through the Sarfayt border crossing with Oman in Yemen’s al-Mahrah governorate.
According to IRG sources, the Houthis possess the most advanced arsenal of any organization within Iran’s “Axis of Resistance,” being the only group with medium-range ballistic missiles and anti-ship ballistic missiles.
Experts also believe that the Houthis have also developed advanced unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology.
Last August, Yemeni IRG officials intercepted Chinese-manufactured hydrogen fuel cell components being smuggled to the Houthis. Expert noted that “this is the first attempted use of hydrogen fuel in uncrewed systems by any non-state armed actor, globally.”
The Defense Intelligence Agency assesses that “The Houthis assemble, repaint, and modify smuggled Iranian weapons and display them with Houthi names.” While the Houthis’ weapons are largely provided by Iran, they also receive support from Russia and China.
Yemeni IRG officials claimed that “Since 2015, Oman has served as a key transit route for weapons destined for the Houthis. In 2017, drones used by the Houthis entered Yemen via Oman”.
A year later, the United Nations reported that Iranian Burkan-2H missiles were smuggled into Yemen through Omani territory.
Oman, according to Yemeni IRG officials, also provides a safe haven for Houthi officials, allowing them to operate freely. Among those officials is Mohammed Abdul Salam, the group’s chief negotiator and de facto foreign minister.
On March 5, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned him, citing his role in managing the Houthis’ domestic and international financing networks and facilitating their efforts to secure weapons and support from Russia.
The Omani government has long justified the presence of Houthi leadership on its soil as part of efforts to mediate a resolution to the Yemeni civil war.
Thus, the United States should demand that Oman shut down the Houthi operations within its border and expel their leadership.