WSJ: Iran-Backed Houthis Forge Dangerous Alliance With al-Shabaab

Key Facts

Published: September 1, 2026 Location: Washington D.C. Source: Wall Street Journal

• The Wall Street Journal reported that Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and Somalia’s al-Shabaab are deepening cooperation.
• Al-Shabaab has reportedly received Houthi training in drones, explosives, and weapons tactics.
• Officials warn the alliance could threaten shipping and energy routes near the Gulf of Aden.

Terror Groups Expand Threat Near Key Global Shipping Route

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Worthy News) – An emerging alliance between Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Somalia’s al-Shabaab terrorists is raising alarms among U.S. and regional officials, according to an exclusive report by The Wall Street Journal.

The partnership links two U.S.-designated terrorist organizations operating near the Gulf of Aden, one of the world’s most important maritime corridors. The Journal reported that al-Shabaab fighters have received weapons support and military training from the Houthis, including instruction involving drones and advanced explosives, while the Houthis have benefited from additional funding and expanded reach across the region.

The alliance was reportedly helped by Jibril “One-Armed” Yahya Ali, an al-Shabaab operative who served as a liaison between the groups before being killed in a U.S. airstrike earlier this year. Despite his death, officials say cooperation between the two organizations has continued.

The development comes as Middle East shipping routes remain under intense pressure from Iranian-backed threats, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, and broader instability tied to Tehran’s proxy network. For Washington, the concern is no longer limited to Yemen. A Houthi-al-Shabaab partnership could stretch the threat across both sides of the Gulf of Aden, endangering commercial vessels, energy flows, and military operations in one of the world’s most strategic waterways.

U.S. forces have stepped up strikes against al-Shabaab in Somalia this year, but officials warn the group’s access to Houthi expertise could make it more lethal and harder to contain. The growing cooperation underscores how Iran’s regional proxy network is increasingly intersecting with jihadist movements far beyond Israel’s borders.

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