The latest military operations against terrorist groups in South Yemen highlight the ongoing efforts by counterterrorism forces. However, they also reveal a qualitative shift in military tactics

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Ibrahim Ali* (South24)

The governorates of South Yemen are witnessing intensified security operations against the hideouts and elements of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). However, concurrently there is also information pointing to increased coordination between the Houthis and the terror organization, with the Houthis having released prominent AQAP elements who were imprisoned by them in Sanaa. 

Reports point to suspicious movements by terrorist elements who allegedly receive support from the Houthis in North Yemen. This deepens the security challenges even as they reveal the new strategies being adopted by the extremist organizations in Yemen to confront the counterterrorism pressures. 

The Ataq Operation

The military and security operations began on April 12 in Ataq, the capital of Shabwa governorate, when a US drone carried out an accurate hit on a terrorist element in the city, immediately killing the terrorist, according to an informed source who spoke to ’South24 Center‘. 

A day later, a ground raid operation was carried out by counterterrorism forces, along with the Shabwa Defense Forces and public security, against a house in Ataq where AQAP elements were holed up. The operation led to the killing of a prominent AQAP member who, according to exclusive sources, served as a regional coordinator among the organization's branches in Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. Another AQAP member was arrested in the raid, while two soldiers affiliated with the Shabwa Defense Forces were injured during the operation.

Intensified Coordination

The US drone raid and the ground offensive that followed the next day reflects the success of the intelligence and security coordination between the United States and the Southern security forces. These operations are a clear indication of the heightened security and military counterterrorism cooperation between the local and international partners, especially in the areas where infiltration attempts by terrorist elements are seen occasionally. 

The latest operations highlight the importance of prior and accurate coordination between the two sides in order to effect direct strikes, and in the exchange of intelligence information to ensure successful operations with the lowest possible human cost.

Air Strikes 

In a related development, on April 13, a suspected US drone targeted a car carrying terrorists along the line linking the Marib and Hadramout governorates. The attack killed a prominent AQAP member called ’Abu Al-Baraa Al-Hadrami‘ who was coming from Marib. Simultaneously, another US drone raid targeted two other cars, killing an AQAP element while three others escaped. The two operations delivered a strong blow to terrorist cells seeking to exploit the security crisis in Hadramout valley to infiltrate the area. 

This strategic line, which runs through several border areas, is a vital road used by terrorist groups to move between areas in the South and the North. This line is also used to smuggle weapons to the Houthi militias. These counterterrorism operations are aimed to reduce the ability of terrorist organizations to move easily and thereby limit the possibility of future terrorist attacks. 

Double Threat

The latest incidents haven't been limited to military strikes against terrorist groups but also reveal new intelligence developments in terms of the Houthi’s close ties with these groups. 

Security sources stressed that there are suspicious moves indicating the close coordination between the Houthis and AQAP and the latter is likely being supported in its operations against the government forces in South Yemen.

It is not unlikely that this coordination is part of a strategy aimed at mitigating the military pressure against the Houthis in North Yemen, especially following the latest US airstrikes that have targeted Houthi locations, their leaders, and weapons storage depots. Moreover, this potential cooperation shows a shift in the military tactics in the region and raises questions about the Houthi’s intentions behind diverting attention away from the military pressure on them, and seeking to create security chaos in the Southern areas. 

The Houthis are likely seeking to revive the terrorism file again in South Yemen with their support for terrorist groups, and thereby aiming to create pressure on Western nations, especially the US, that are focused on counterterrorism. 

This tactic is likely aimed at shifting Washington’s focus to the terrorism threat in South Yemen, diverting it from its ongoing anti-Houthi military campaign in the North. As a result, in the short term, this will help reduce pressure on the Houthis. 

Releasing Terrorist Leaders

In a worrying move, media sources have disclosed new details related to the releasing of a number of terrorist AQAP leaders by the Houthis under the garb of so-called “prisoner exchange”. This raises serious questions about the real motive behind this move.

It isn’t unlikely that the Houthis will seek to use these freed AQAP leaders to carry out targeted operations against the government forces in South Yemen.

It is important to note that the release of these AQAP leaders comes at a particularly sensitive time as Yemen is facing both regional and international escalation against the Houthis. This development raises serious concerns about a systematic escalation of terrorist threats in South Yemen.

It is evident that the recent terrorist activity in South Yemen occurred just days after the release of the AQAP leaders, which confirms the close coordination between the Houthis and the AQAP.

This coordination, if true, could further complicate the security situation in Yemen and heighten destabilization threats in areas in South Yemen where the Yemeni government is still striving to fully establish its control.

Military Pressure and Growing Threats

The latest military operations against terrorist groups in South Yemen highlight the continued efforts by counterterrorism forces. However, they also reveal a qualitative shift in military tactics in Yemen.

The escalation in air and ground operations is part of a broader strategy aimed at reducing the presence of these terrorist groups, particularly in strategically important areas in the South. However, potential coordination between the Houthis and the terrorist elements further complicates the country's security scenario.

The growing use of drone attacks by the AQAP is another evidence that the terrorist groups in Yemen are adopting more sophisticated and technologically advanced strategies. Since the beginning of 2025, the AQAP has intensified its attacks against the Southern forces in Abyan. It is remarkable that many of these operations were carried out using drones.

If it is confirmed that the Houthis have provided support to the AQAP in the use of drones, it opens the door to increased security tensions in Yemen, not only at the local level but also regionally and internationally. These developments indicate that the counterterrorism battle in Yemen has turned far complex than previously imagined. Some reports indicate that Iran is the one supplying the AQAP with drones, either directly or through the Houthis. 

Al-Shabaab is An Additional Evidence

In a post on ’Truth Social’, accompanied with footage of an airstrike lacking clear context, US President Donald Trump previously stirred much controversy after he warned about ’Houthi penetration‘ in Somalia. His statement. linking the Houthis with Somalia, has raised many questions about the dimensions of this relationship, especially as it coincides with the US military escalation against the Houthis in the Red Sea as part of a campaign launched by Washington in mid-March to deter attacks threatening international navigation.

The link between Yemen and Somalia does not appear to be random. This is because Somalia occupies a geostrategic location near Yemen in the Gulf of Aden, making it a potential arena for the intersection of interests or conflicts.

In this context, US media reports have begun talking about potential cooperation between the Houthis and the Somali movement ’Al-Shabaab‘ which is listed as a terrorist outfit. This comes amid concerns that the Horn of Africa could turn into a new extension in the Iranian-American conflict.

Earlier this month, ’The New York Times‘ quoted the Head of the US Command in Africa, Michael E Langley, as saying in a Congressional testimony that there are signs of collusion between the Al-Shabaab and the Houthis.

In a June 2024 report, ’CNN‘ quoted US intelligence officials as saying that there are increasing concerns in Washington regarding the growing links between the Houthis and ’Al-Shabaab‘. The intelligence officials revealed that the Houthis had contacted the Somali movement to supply the latter with weapons.

’CNN‘ quoted three US officials as saying that these moves constitute a dangerous threat to the stability in the region, especially in Somalia, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.

The CNN report, quoting intelligence sources, stressed that this “marriage of convenience” between the Houthis and Al-Shabaab could worsen the situation in these areas, especially as the Houthis have intensified their attacks on American ships and military assets since the beginning of the Gaza war.

Nonetheless, the most important thing in this matter is that these recent suspicious moves confirm the information about an undeclared coordination between the Houthis and the AQAP, which raises concerns about the security situation in the region turning into a new flash point that can threaten international security. The Al Qaeda Leader Ahmed Saif Al-Adel is believed to serve as the link between the organization’s branches and Iran’s proxies.

Despite the successful blows dealt to the terrorist groups in South Yemen, the biggest challenge that remains is the likely coordination between the Houthis and AQAP which can further complicate the battle against terrorism in Yemen.