Houthi-Al Shabaab Alliance Emerges as Growing Threat to Red Sea Stability

LONDON, Sept 29 (FT): The growing cooperation between Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and Somalia’s Al-Shabaab militants poses an “escalatory” threat to regional stability and could threaten shipping and trade in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, US officials have warned, according to the Financial Times.

A spokesperson for US Africa Command described the relationship as a “highly concerning, escalatory threat to regional stability,” saying the alliance could expand Al-Shabaab’s operational capabilities while giving the Houthis greater access to maritime routes in the Red Sea and western Indian Ocean. The Financial Times reported that the Houthis have sold weapons to Al-Shabaab and trained hundreds of fighters in the use of drones, improvised explosive devices and battlefield tactics. The UN Panel of Experts on Yemen has separately reported intensified cooperation involving weapons smuggling, technical training and logistical support, including evidence of Houthi weapons transfers to Al-Shabaab and training in drone technology and explosives.

According to Matt Bryden, a veteran Somalia specialist and former head of the UN panel of experts on Somalia, as many as 1,500 Somali fighters from Al-Shabaab and other Somali factions have trained with the Houthis in Yemen. The Financial Times also reported that Al-Shabaab had sought more sophisticated weapons from the Houthis, including Iranian S358 surface-to-air missiles, although the missiles have not so far been found on the battlefield in Somalia. The UN previously reported that Al-Shabaab had requested advanced weapons and training from Houthi representatives and had received some small arms, light weapons and technical expertise.

The Financial Times further reported that Houthi envoys have made more frequent visits this year to Jilib, an Al-Shabaab stronghold in southern Somalia. Bryden said the Houthis were using the relationship to install radar and other equipment in Somalia to monitor shipping from the African coast. The UN has also documented Houthi-linked weapons smuggling routes between Yemen and Somalia, including seizures of explosives and drones by Somali security forces. A UN report said nearly 400 Somalis were facilitated to travel to Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen for military and ideological training, while noting that the broader cooperation involves both weapons trafficking and technical expertise.

The developments have raised concern over the potential for the two groups to combine their capabilities across the Gulf of Aden. Former US special envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking told the Financial Times that Washington had become concerned about the relationship in 2024, when the groups were training together, transferring weapons and discussing ways to increase pressure on the Bab al-Mandeb.