Houthis and Al-Shabaab Are Teaming Up Across the Gulf of Aden, and It’s Sparking Worries

Dil Bar Irshad | September 2, 2026 | 04:21 PM IST | Breaking News, World | Follow on Google News

Houthis and Al-Shabaab Are Teaming Up Across the Gulf of Aden, and It’s Sparking Worries

ADEN, September 2nd [VoM News]: Something fishy is going on across the Gulf of Aden. Yemen’s rebel Houthis and Somalia’s feared al-Shabaab militants aren’t just sharing shaking hands; they’re reportedly sharing weapons, training buddies, and even military equipment between Yemen and Somalia. And security chiefs are raising some serious eyebrows.

As a report by The Wall Street Journal revealed, this partnership has been brewing since at least 2023, and it’s pretty surprising given the two groups don’t exactly share the same play-book. This alliance could be giving al-Shabaab access to serious new hardware and army smarts, while offering the Houthis an even wider influence on the southern shores of the Gulf of Aden.

The glue holding it all together is said to have been Jibril, a Somali chap nicknamed “One-Armed.” He supposedly acted as the go-between for both outfits. Based in Yemen, he’s believed to have facilitated shipments of weapons grade for conflict to Somalia.

Sadly, Jibril was eliminated in February when a US missile flattened the vehicle he was traveling in. The report says he was with his wife. US officials confirmed to the Journal that their forces took the shot, though the US Central Command downplayed it as “not a military operation.” Uh-huh.

### All Things Guns and Games

Word on the street is that al-Shabaab sent one of their top guys, Sheikh Ahmed Elmi Samatar, to Yemen in 2024. Why? To get military help. They were allegedly asking for fancy things like missiles that can hit aircraft, rocket launchers, sniper rifles, exploding drones, and anti-tank weapons.

Unfortunately for the Sheikh, he was nabbed by the recognized Yemeni government in January of 2025. But don’t worry, he was released in a hostage exchange thanks to those same Houthis.

This team-up isn’t just about gear, though. Military training seems to be on the menu too. We’re hearing that at least 100 al-Shabaab fighters have learned their tricks in Yemen – stuff like shooting straight, dealing with anti-aircraft missiles, making explosives, and using drones. Some Houthi trainers have even been reportedly sent to Somalia.

How do the goods get there? Word on the street is they’re moving via sea. Some shipments are reportedly disguised as innocent commercial products and then loaded onto smaller boats to make their way across. Back in April 2025, US forces actually took out two unarmed boats carrying sophisticated weapons that were sailing into Somali waters from Yemen.

### Why This Matters

Back in Washington, there’s a real concern that al-Shabaab will gain access to a whole new arsenal, including advanced drones.

As US Gen. Dagvin Anderson, the guy running the show for American forces in Africa, pointed out, this collaboration could boost the capabilities of both groups significantly. And those boosted capabilities could easily bleed beyond the region.

Think of the Gulf of Aden. It’s a super-critical crossroads – it’s the bridge connecting the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea and a major shipping lane. If you start having more extremist activity ramp up on either side, it poses a serious threat to commercial traffic and everyone on military watch.

With the US already beefing up air strikes against al-Shabaab in Somalia, this new flow of arms and know-how from Yemen makes the fight against this militant group even tougher.

For the Houthis, on the other hand, this alliance with al-Shabaab gives them a foothold across that key body of water, letting them better track or even menace shipping movements. It’s a game of expanded reach, all happening in their backyard.

Dil Bar Irshad

Dil Bar Irshad is a seasoned journalist, hails from Jammu Kashmir's Doda, covers political, social, business stories, index stories.