Al-Ghamari’s funeral (al-Masirah, October 20, 2025)
Equipment confiscated aboard the vessel (Southern Armed Forces X account, October 5, 2025)
Equipment confiscated aboard the Iranian vessel (Southern Armed Forces X account, October 22, 2025)
Equipment confiscated aboard the Iranian vessel (Southern Armed Forces X account, October 22, 2025) Matan Daniel
Overview[1]
Following the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip the leader of the Houthis ordered a suspension of direct attacks on Israeli territory and vessels “identified with Israel” in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, as he had during the previous ceasefire at the beginning of 2025.
According to the Houthi leadership, despite the cessation of attacks, they support the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and are monitoring Israel’s implementation of the ceasefire. They threatened there would be “serious consequence” if Israel resumed fighting or violated the ceasefire.
The Houthis used the mourning notices for the death of Chief of Staff Muhammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari, who was killed in an Israeli strike at the end of August 2025, to threaten retaliation and reiterate their commitment to continuing jihad against Israel.
Since early October 2025 Yemeni forces opposing the Houthis have reported the interception of maritime and overland military shipments en route to Houthi-controlled areas, suspected of having been sent from Iran. The shipments contained weapons components, UAVs and other advanced equipment.
In ITIC assessment, the Houthis will not resume their attacks and will respect the ceasefire as long as it continues. However, a renewal of fighting by Israel, whether initiated or in response to Hamas violations, could lead the Houthis to resume attacks on Israel. Likewise, an escalation in Lebanon or Judea and Samaria would provide the Houthis with a pretext to renew attacks to strengthen their position as leaders of the “resistance axis.”[2] Meanwhile, in all probability the Houthis will continue to smuggle weapons from Iran to strengthen their military capabilities.
Suspension of Houthi Attacks and Continuation of Threats
When the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip went into effect, Houthi leader Abd al-Malik al-Houthi reportedly ordered the suspension of attacks on Israeli territory and vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, as he had during the previous ceasefire in January–March 2025 (TASS, October 11, 2025). The Houthi leadership reiterated its continued support for the Palestinians and the ceasefire, and threatened to renew attacks if Israel violated it:
In a speech delivered by Houthi leader Abd al-Malik al-Houthi several hours after the American president announced the ceasefire agreement, he reviewed the Houthi attacks since the beginning of the war on October 7, 2023. He reported that the Houthis had used 1,835 ballistic missiles, guided missiles, hypersonic missiles, UAVs and battleships, claiming they had produced both splitting and non-splitting hypersonic missiles and “successful” UAVs. According to al-Houthi, the “siege” on Israel in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab had been “100% successful,” and the missile and UAV launches [allegedly] “sent Israelis into shelters, affected airline operations in Israel and the economic situation, and completely shut down the port of Eilat.” He claimed that the ceasefire agreement “proves the failure of Israel and the United States to achieve their goals.” He said the Houthis would remain in a state of “full readiness” and would closely monitor the ceasefire and the entry of aid. He said that implementation of the ceasefire agreement would be good, and the Houthis would be pleased, as that was what they hoped for (al-Masirah, October 9, 2025). In a speech delivered a week later, al-Houthi said he hoped the agreement would continue and the Palestinians would be able to recover, but emphasized that “it is very important to remain alert and ready, and we must prepare for any development” (al-Masirah, October 16, 2025).
Houthi political bureau member Muhammad al-Bukhaiti stated that “the Yemeni support front will remain a bargaining chip in the hands of the Palestinian negotiation,” telling the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip: “We are at peace with those who are at peace with you and at war with those who are at war with you” (Muhammad al-Bukhaiti’s X account, October 9, 2025).
Houthi political bureau member Hazem al-Assad told Hamas’ al-Risalah that they were warning the “enemy” not to evade the agreement, threatening that “whenever it returns [to fighting], we too will return” (al-Risalah Telegram channel, October 11, 2025). On another occasion, he said would respond even more forcefully if Israel violated the agreement (Sputnik, October 12, 2025).
The chairman of the Houthi supreme political council, Mahdi al-Mashat, said they would remain vigilant and prepared, monitoring the stages of the ceasefire and the entry of humanitarian aid, and were ready to respond to developments in Gaza Strip. He also noted that the Houthis would develop and enhance their military capabilities in all fields so that they could confront the new technologies possessed by the “enemy” (al-Masirah, October 13, 2025).
Notice issued by the Houthi combat information Telegram channel with the Hebrew caption reading, “We are watching and observing” (Houthi combat information Telegram channel, October 12, 2025)
Following the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice regarding Israel’s obligation to facilitate humanitarian aid access to the Gaza Strip, the Houthi foreign ministry warned the “Zionist entity” against continued violations of the ceasefire agreement because of “the severe consequences that would entail.” According to the ministry, the Houthis also viewed the approval of the preliminary Knesset vote on a bill to apply Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria as an attempt to violate the ceasefire. The Houthis further warned the “usurping entity” against “continuing its aggression” against Lebanon, thereby “violating the ceasefire agreement” (SABA News Agency, October 24, 2025).
On October 16, 2025, the Houthi forces announced the death of Chief of Staff Muhammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari ” as a shaheed in the course of his jihadist activity on the road to Jerusalem.” According to the statement, “the rounds of conflict with the enemy have not ended, and he will be punished for his crimes.” The statement did not specify the circumstances of his death, but it can be assumed he was killed in an IDF strike on August 28, 2025, on a building in Sana’a where dozens of senior Houthi officials were present, in which the prime minister and at least eleven ministers were also killed (al-Masirah, October 16, 2025). The Houthi leadership used the mourning notice for al-Ghamari’s death to claim that despite the loss of the senior officer, they remained ready and prepared for the possibility of renewed fighting against Israel, including revenge for the killing of the chief of staff:
Houthi leader Abd al-Malik al-Houthi said that “the enemies must understand that our sacrifices have no negative effect on morale” (Houthi Telegram channel, October 21, 2025).
The chairman of the Houthi supreme political council, Mahdi al-Mashat, said al-Ghamari’s death “will only increase our strength and courage.” He claimed that the death of the chief of staff “had and will have no impact on performance,” and the Houthis remained steadfast regardless of challenges and the magnitude of their sacrifices. He added that the Houthis possessed the moral and material strength to exact revenge because “war is a series of rounds” (SABA News Agency, October 20, 2025).
Houthi Minister of Defense Muhammad Nasser al-Atifi claimed that Houthi forces were fully prepared in all fields for any confrontation or “aggression” (Houthi Telegram channel, October 16, 2025). Reportedly, al-Atifi was also critically wounded and possibly killed in the same Israeli strike that eliminated al-Ghamari, as he has not been seen publicly since, despite statements being issued in his name (al-Mashhad al-Yemeni, October 22, 2025).
The new Houthi Chief of Staff, Yusuf al-Madani, promised that they would continue “the jihadist and practical path laid out by al-Ghamari.” He called al-Ghamari’s blood was “a source of strength for them to continue the struggle for Allah and in support of the oppressed” (al-Masirah, October 17, 2025).
Right: Mourning notice for Chief of Staff al-Ghamari (Houthi Combat Information Department X account, October 16, 2025). Left: Al-Ghamari’s funeral (al-Masirah, October 20, 2025)
Interception of Shipments Smuggled to the Houthis
Evidence of the Houthis’ military buildup in preparation for a possible resumption of attacks was provided by the interception of weapons shipments suspected of having been sent from Iran and seized by the customs services and Southern Armed Force of the Western-recognized Yemeni government since early October 2025:
On October 2, 2025, authorities in southern Yemen reported the interception of a weapons shipment intended for the Houthis, which included 58 containers weighing more than 2,500 tons. The shipment was seized on August 2, 2025, aboard a commercial cargo ship en route from the port of Djibouti to the port of al-Hudaydah but was diverted to the port of Aden because entry to al-Hudaydah was banned after Israeli strikes. The shipment reportedly contained large quantities of weapons and military equipment such as UAVs and equipment for their production and launch, jet engines, communication, surveillance and intelligence equipment, and weapons manufacturing tools and spare parts. Authorities called it the largest Houthi military shipment seized by forces in Aden (websites of the Southern Armed Forces and Defense Line, October 2, 2025). The Southern Forces reported the interception on August 6, 2025, but the details the shipment were only now revealed.
Equipment seized aboard the cargo ship (Defense Line, October 2, 2025)
On October 5, 2025, security forces intercepted a vessel in the al-Sabihah area at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula as it attempted to enter Houthi-controlled areas. A large shipment of UAV equipment was found aboard, including high-resolution surveillance cameras, wireless communication devices, remote control systems, navigation systems, electronic components and spare parts. Three crew members were arrested (Southern Armed Forces website, October 5, 2025).
Equipment confiscated aboard the vessel (Southern Armed Forces X account, October 5, 2025)
On October 14, 2025, customs authorities intercepted a shipment of 3,000 dual-purpose (military and civilian) electronic components related to UAVs and explosives at the Sarfati border crossing connecting al-Mahra Governorate with the Sultanate of Oman. According to reports, there were more than 90 types of equipment, including fiber optic welding devices, programming boards, various sensors, and different connection cables (Aden News Agency, October 14, 2025).
On October 22, 2025, forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognized government intercepted an Iranian vessel carrying weapons and Iranian-made products, including Kornet missiles and UAV spare parts. According to reports, the ship sailed from Bandar Abbas and was en route to Houthi-controlled areas near Bab al-Mandab, and its eight crew members were arrested (Southern Armed Forces website, October 22, 2025).
Equipment confiscated aboard the Iranian vessel
(Southern Armed Forces X account, October 22, 2025)
[1] Click https://www.terrorism-info.org.il/en to subscribe and receive the ITIC’s daily updates as well as its other publications.
[2] Iran, Hezbollah, Palestinian organizations, the Houthis in Yemen and the Shi’ite militias in Iraq, all of whose objective is the destruction and elimination of the State of Israel.
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