Houthi Intelligence Officials Named in Crackdown on International Aid Workers in Sanaa

Reliable sources have exposed the Houthi militia’s security and intelligence apparatus as the orchestrator of a recent arrest campaign targeting employees of international organizations and diplomatic missions in Sanaa, marking a dangerous escalation against humanitarian operations in regions under the group’s control.

According to the sources, Mohammed Mutahar Al-Washli, Deputy Head of the Houthi intelligence agency’s Espionage Sector, spearheaded the crackdown. He was supported by Abdullah Ahmed Ali Mubarak, Director of the Foreign Counter-Espionage Department, and Ashraf Ali Hammoud Al-Hamli, an operative within the same unit.

The arrests reflect a broader pattern of repression by the Iran-backed Houthi faction, which has increasingly targeted humanitarian personnel in recent months. These actions compound Yemen’s dire humanitarian crisis, as the group imposes severe restrictions on relief agencies—including limiting their movement, obstructing aid delivery, and harassing staff. Observers warn such measures could cripple life-saving operations in a country where over 21 million people rely on assistance.

The United Nations and international NGOs have repeatedly condemned Houthi restrictions on humanitarian access. This latest campaign, however, signals a brazen intensification of tactics aimed at silencing external oversight and consolidating control over aid distribution. Analysts suggest the moves may also aim to deflect scrutiny from the group’s governance failures amid worsening economic and social conditions.