According to sources familiar with the matter, an Iranian Mahan Air flight transported Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel and military-related equipment from Tehran to Yemen on July 13. Two Iranian sources stated that between 10 and 21 IRGC personnel, including senior commanders and advisers, were on the flight to provide training on missile systems. The aircraft also reportedly carried drone components and gold intended to fund Houthi activities.
The flight was originally scheduled to land in Sanaa but diverted to the port city of Hodeidah after the Sanaa airport was struck by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government. The arrival of the IRGC personnel preceded a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia announced by the Houthis on Monday. The group stated the blockade was a response to the July 13 bombing of the Sanaa airport, an event that signaled the end of a four-year truce between the parties.
Iranian and Houthi officials have denied the reports of military transfers. Iran's Foreign Ministry stated the flight was intended to return a Houthi delegation and Yemeni civilians who had attended a funeral in Tehran. A Houthi media official, who stated he was on the flight, characterized the reports of military experts as false, maintaining that all passengers were civilians. The Houthis also maintain that they develop their own weapons independently of Tehran.