Yemen arrests 13 suspected Houthis and seizes weapons shipment in Shabwa

Yemeni security agencies arrested 13 individuals suspected of belonging to a Houthi cell after intercepting a lorry carrying weapons, ammunition and explosives that had been brought ashore by boat in Shabwa province, the governor's office reported. Governor Awad Al Wazir, who also leads the provincial security committee, said the raid resulted from months of surveillance and intelligence gathering amid ongoing fighting between government forces and the Iran-backed Houthis.

The seized arsenal included sniper rifles, large-scale improvised explosive devices and assorted projectiles, all earmarked for the Houthis according to a submitted report. Officials are now working to map the full smuggling chain and identify additional participants. The bust follows a recent Houthi ballistic missile attack on Rapid Intervention Forces in Shabwa that killed 77 people and injured 195, an assault the Houthis described as targeting Saudi-linked forces. Al Wazir called for heightened readiness, improved surveillance of land and sea routes, and better intelligence sharing to stop further infiltration attempts.