A Yemen-based opposition outlet reports that senior IRGC commander Abdul-Reza Shahlai has quietly returned to Yemen after spending the past year in Iran, where he feared being targeted by Israel.
Shahlai is considered the most senior Iranian operative directing and managing the Houthi terrorists’ attacks across the region.
According to the Yemeni “Defense Line” website, his return comes amid internal turmoil within the Houthi leadership, raising questions about Tehran’s grip on its Yemeni proxy. Shahlai’s renewed presence in Yemen may signal an Iranian attempt to restore control and stabilize the group’s command structure.
NEWSRAEL: WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT
Shahlai’s return shows Iran is doubling down on its control of the Houthis at a moment of internal crisis, proving once again that Tehran—not Yemen—is driving the group’s regional aggression. For Israel and its allies, this is a clear reminder that the IRGC continues to fuel instability across the region and tighten its network of terror proxies. This also shows how devastating the Israeli attacks on the Houthi leadership were.