■ In October 2015, the Houthis claimed sinking a Coalition naval vessel off the coast of Taiz province using the C-802 missile. The Houthis’ Al-Masirah TV claimed that UAE and Saudi vessels were the target of the attack.
○ A February 2015 UN panel of experts investigation reported that “several trusted interlocutors mentioned confidentially the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) training of Houthi forces on a small island off the Eritrean coast.”
○ A senior Iranian official told Reuters in December 2014 that the IRGC had a "few hundred" military personnel in Yemen training Houthi fighters and estimated that “about 100” Houthi fighters traveled to Iran in 2014 to train at an IRGC base.
○ In January 2013, Yemeni and US Forces intercepted a large shipment of weapons off the coast of Yemen aboard the arms vessel Jihan.
■ An investigation by the US and Yemeni governments reported that the arms shipments contained military grade explosives, rocket-propelled grenades and bomb-making equipment. Markings on those weapons reportedly indicated they came from IRGC facilities, according to a US government official speaking to CNN.
■ The February 2015 UN Panel of Experts investigation reported on this incident as well and noted that among those detained as crew members were two Hizballah members and three IRGC personnel. The UN Panel of Experts concluded that “the volume and type of arms in the shipment would have significantly empowered its recipients.”
● Hizballah, with the help and sponsorship of Iran, provided tactical training and support to Houthi fighters.
● Secure the northern border from Houthi attacks
● Liberate Aden as a firm base for restoration of the legitimate government
● Destroy and degrade AQAP and ISIS
● Halt Iranian aggression
● Train and equip Yemeni government forces
Stability Operations Strategy
● The UAE’s strategy going into Operation Decisive Storm was to:
○ Set the conditions for the restoration of the legitimate government
○ Support Aden’s essential humanitarian needs
○ Support economic and infrastructure development
● UAE and Coalition strategy defined five key desired endstates:
○ Endstate 1 (Safe and secure environment - Protect the population)
■ Defeat internal insurgent threats (Houthis, AQAP, Daesh)
■ Train and equip security forces
○ Endstate 2 (Reestablish the rule of law)
■ Redevelop and mentor local police force
■ Promote access to effective judicial system