The Outlook for Cooperation Between Yemen's Houthis and Somalia's al Shabaab

Cooperation between Yemen's Houthi rebels and Somalia's al Shabaab in weapons transfers, training and logistics will likely continue in the coming years and though the extent of further cooperation will remain constrained by the Houthis' need to prioritize their own military imperatives, this will not fundamentally hamper al Shabaab's capabilities. An October 2025 U.N. report confirmed that Somali security services had intercepted multiple arms shipments, including explosives and drones, en route from Yemen and arrested individuals tied to a trafficking network connecting al Qaeda affiliate al Shabaab in Somalia and Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Investigators also documented the growing use of Somali piracy networks to facilitate Houthi maritime disruptions in the Gulf of Aden, including attacks on commercial ships and collecting ransoms from captured crew and vessels. A Somali national affiliated with al Shabaab who acted as a liaison was also identified, admitting to coordinating the travel of approximately...