Media: Yemen accuses Houthis of producing chemical weapons with Iranian aid

Yemen’s government has accused Houthi rebels of producing chemical weapons using components smuggled into the country under the supervision of Iranian experts, marking the first direct allegation of its kind from an official source.

Moammar Eryani, Yemen’s Minister of Information, told The National that intelligence from multiple sources indicated the Houthis had established a factory to produce toxic materials, which were being mounted on ballistic missiles and long-range drones.

“The introduction of internationally prohibited weapons into the Houthis’ arsenal goes beyond the traditional threat posed by missiles and drones,” he said.

The Houthis, who control Yemen’s capital Sanaa and large parts of the north and west, have steadily expanded their arsenal since the civil war began in 2014. Initially reliant on seized Yemeni army missiles and Iranian-supplied weapons, the group is now largely self-sufficient in manufacturing drones and missile components.

Two Yemeni government sources said a confidential report detailing suspected chemical weapons sites had recently been submitted to the presidency.

Smuggled shipments of materials arrived earlier this year, with another cache of conventional weapons intercepted last month at Aden port, including drones, propulsion systems, and advanced control components.

Mr Eryani urged the United Nations, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and other international bodies to act swiftly to investigate the smuggling of chemical precursors and halt the alleged production.

The Houthis, aligned with Iran’s “Axis of Resistance,” have recently targeted vessels in the Red Sea and fired missiles and drones toward Israel, signalling an expansion of their regional ambitions.

Experts say chemical weapons production requires specialised equipment, industrial precursors, and trained personnel, highlighting the potential threat posed by the reported programme.

By Aghakazim Guliyev