Yemen’s Houthis announce arrest of several alleged Mossad, CIA spies

The Houthi movement in Yemen announced on Wednesday the arrest of several individuals accused of espionage for the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad and the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The arrests were made in recent days and followed an investigation by the Houthi-affiliated security agencies, according to a statement broadcast by Al-Masirah TV.

The statement did not specify the nationalities of the arrested individuals, but it claimed the operatives were tasked with gathering intelligence on key military and strategic sites in Yemen. According to the Houthis, these alleged spies were assigned to monitor and collect information on missile systems, drone targets, laboratories, and launch platforms that might be used to target Israel. The group also claimed the spies were focused on the locations of naval forces, weapon depots, and military camps.

The Houthi statement further asserted that the operatives were instructed to track and provide information on the whereabouts of the group’s leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, along with other political, military, and security officials. The intelligence was reportedly to be relayed to Hamid Hussein Fayed Majali, an individual identified by the Houthis as the intermediary between the spies and Mossad.

The spies were allegedly tasked with providing coordinates that would enable targeted strikes by the air forces of the U.S., Israel, and the U.K. In addition to their surveillance duties, the operatives were reportedly instructed to infiltrate Yemen’s armed forces and security apparatus, seeking to recruit and plant agents within these institutions.

The Houthis have regularly engaged in missile and drone strikes against Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea, actions they have framed as solidarity with the Gaza Strip, where heavy casualties have been reported following ongoing violence since October 7, 2023.