Yemen : Houthi Delegation in al-Shabaab Stronghold Weapons Bridge Crosses Gulf of Aden
The Wall Street Journal has revealed a new phase in the relationship between Yemen’s Houthi movement and Somalia’s al-Shabaab, shifting from arms trade through intermediaries to more structured cooperation involving delegation exchanges, fighter training, and drone technology transfers across the Gulf of Aden.
According to the investigation, a four-member Houthi delegation crossed the Gulf in June and arrived in Jilib, al-Shabaab’s de facto stronghold in southern Somalia.
The visit reportedly focused on military cooperation, weapons supplies, training, and countering any potential Israeli military presence at Berbera port, a key hub along one of the world’s most strategic maritime routes.
A U.S. military intelligence official told the paper that at least 100 al-Shabaab fighters traveled to Yemen for training. One group spent about three months in Saada, the Houthis’ main stronghold, learning to assemble drones and operate control and live-vision systems.
The Houthis also dispatched trainers to al-Shabaab-controlled areas in Somalia to provide instruction on drones, improvised explosive devices, and weapons maintenance.
The report aligns with findings by Century International in August, estimating that between 120 and several hundred al-Shabaab fighters underwent training in Yemeni camps covering light weapons, explosives, and basic drone operations.
The Wall Street Journal reviewed a weapons list allegedly transferred from al-Shabaab to the Houthis through a senior intermediary. It included shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, 107mm Katyusha rockets, Dragunov sniper rifles, attack drones, anti-tank missiles, and U.S.-made night-vision devices.
Both groups reportedly used front companies to conceal shipments within civilian cargo, moving them through Yemeni ports such as Mukalla before smuggling them by sea to northern Somalia.
The investigation highlighted the role of Somali broker Jibril Yahya Ali, nicknamed “the one-armed,” despite retaining both arms. A former veterinary student in Yemen, Jibril managed charities, import-export firms, and a money exchange office in Mogadishu.
Intelligence briefings cited by the paper said the Houthis provided him with a furnished apartment in Sana’a and a Yemeni passport under an alias. He allegedly purchased weapons from the Houthis and organized their transfer to al-Shabaab.
In 2024, al-Shabaab sent a more experienced envoy, Sheikh Ahmed Almi Samatar, to work alongside Jibril. Jibril was later killed in February 2026 near al-Ghaydah in Yemen’s Mahra province, reportedly in a U.S. strike, though Central Command denied involvement and the CIA did not confirm responsibility.
The report underscores a shift from opportunistic arms trading to a deeper alliance, with structured training, delegation exchanges, and coordinated military needs.
While al-Shabaab seeks missiles, drones, and technical expertise, the Houthis pursue funding and a foothold on the African shore of the Gulf of Aden.