Yemen’s Houthi group has announced the arrest of several Yemeni nationals accused of spying for Israel in the capital city, Sanaa.
In an official statement, the Houthis alleged that the detainees had been collaborating with the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad through a Saudi-based joint operation center, which reportedly involved the intelligence services of Israel, the United States, and Saudi Arabia, according to a report by Xinhua.
The group claimed that the arrested individuals were trained to prepare intelligence reports, monitor civilian and military locations, and track the movements of Houthi leaders. However, the Houthis did not specify the number of people arrested or provide evidence supporting the espionage allegations.
The statement further said that the “confessions” of those detained would be broadcast later in the day on the group’s official satellite channel, Al-Masirah.
Sources close to the Houthis indicated that many of the detainees were employees of UN aid agencies, including the World Food Programme (WFP), World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF.
This development follows the recent release of 20 foreign aid workers through mediation by Iran and Oman, after weeks of negotiations. According to UN Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg, at least 53 Yemeni UN employees remain in Houthi custody, along with dozens of staff from NGOs and diplomatic missions.
The latest arrests come in the aftermath of Israeli airstrikes on Sanaa in August, which killed a dozen members of the Houthi-run cabinet, including their military chief of staff, Mohammed Abdulkarim Al-Ghamari.
In response, the Houthis have reportedly tightened security in Sanaa and declared a general mobilization, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement that the Houthis pose a threat to Israel’s existence and will be “eliminated.”
Since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023, the Houthis have launched multiple missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli ports and ships in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians. These attacks have ceased since the Gaza ceasefire came into effect last month.
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