An emerging relationship between two terrorist organizations on opposite sides of the Gulf of Aden is raising concerns among U.S. military and intelligence officials. Somalia’s al-Shabaab and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis appear to be cooperating on weapons, training, and smuggling—a partnership that could threaten an economically vital maritime corridor.
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From The Daily Wire:
Jibril “One-Armed” Yahya Ali, the report noted, served as a go-between funneling money from al-Shabaab — al Qaeda’s richest wing — to the Houthis in exchange for more advanced weapons and technology. As far back as 2023, Jibril was smuggling weapons out of Yemen and into the hands of al-Shabaab militants — but he was killed in a U.S. strike two weeks before the war with Iran began, and the question remains as to what will become of the growing alliance.
“You have al-Shabaab, al Qaeda’s largest and most lucrative affiliate, gaining access to more sophisticated weapons and training,” U.S. Gen. Dagvin Anderson, commander of American forces in Africa, told the outlet. “On the other side, the Houthis are extending their geographic reach, gaining a foothold that could further destabilize one of the world’s most critical economic chokepoints. This isn’t just a regional problem. It has global implications.”
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In 2024, The WSJ reported that al-Shabaab sent Sheik Ahmed Elmi Samatar to work alongside Jibril in his smuggling efforts. “Samatar presented the Houthis with a lengthy weapons wish list, viewed by the Journal, which included shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles, 107 mm Katyusha rockets, Dragunov sniper rifles, explosive attack drones, antitank missiles and U.S. night-vision gear.”
The relationship is particularly concerning because of where these two terrorist groups operate. Yemen and Somalia face each other across the Gulf of Aden, which connects the Arabian Sea with the Red Sea and ultimately the Suez Canal. The region is already one of the world’s most consequential maritime chokepoints, and the source reports that roughly 12% of seaborne oil passes through the Gulf of Aden.
The partnership is also notable because al-Shabaab and the Houthis do not share the same branch of Islam. Al-Shabaab adheres to a Salafi-Sunni ideology, while the Houthis follow Zaydi Shiism. Their apparent willingness to cooperate despite that religious divide suggests that strategic interests—including weapons, money, training, and regional influence—may be taking precedence over their theological differences.
Evidence of cooperation reportedly stretches back several years. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data organization noted that hostilities between the Houthis and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula declined beginning in 2022. ACLED also reported that AQAP’s use of drones had increased by more than 300% since its first recorded drone attack in May 2023 and cited reports of Houthi drone technology transfers and smuggling networks extending to al-Shabaab. The organization cautioned, however, that evidence for a formal alliance or coordinated attacks remains limited.
The reported cooperation nevertheless appears to extend beyond weapons shipments. Al-Shabaab militants have reportedly traveled to Yemen for training with the Houthis, including instruction in drone operations. Weapons have allegedly been concealed as civilian goods and transported across the Gulf of Aden aboard speedboats and fishing vessels.
For the United States, the growing capabilities of al-Shabaab are already a significant security concern. According to the source, U.S. forces have conducted at least 40 strikes against al-Shabaab targets in Somalia so far in 2026, nearly matching the 41 strikes conducted throughout all of 2025.
The possibility of closer cooperation between terrorist organizations should draw our attention and our prayers. What begins as weapons smuggling between groups thousands of miles from America’s shores can have consequences for international shipping, energy markets, American forces overseas, and ultimately U.S. national security. Let’s pray for wisdom and discernment for our military and intelligence leaders, for the disruption of terrorist networks and weapons shipments, and for protection over innocent people threatened by these groups.
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(Excerpt from The Daily Wire. Photo Credit: Henry Ridgwell (VOA) – Yemen Fighting Intensifies as Fears Grow of Sectarian Conflict, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70173511)
