A new United Nations Security Council Panel of Experts report on Yemen reveals growing cooperation between Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Somalia’s Al-Shabaab, marking an unprecedented link between two extremist movements from opposing sects.
The Houthis are a Shiite-Zaydi group backed by Iran, while Al-Shabaab is a Sunni organization affiliated with Al-Qaeda.
The report, dated October 15, 2025, details a network of weapons smuggling, technology transfer, and joint operational training. According to investigators, the Houthis have supplied Al-Shabaab with arms, explosives, and drones via smuggling routes in the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden.
In return, Al-Shabaab facilitates arms purchases for the Houthis through Somali intermediaries—turning Somalia into a central hub for regional weapons trafficking.