Analysis by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) of satellite images shows that the Houthi rebels are digging in, creating new and much larger underground military facilities that could bolster their protection in case of future conflict.
Fabian Hinz, a Research Fellow for Defence and Military Analysis at IISS wrote:” While the Houthis used caves and simple tunnels in their earliest days, more recently, they have pursued much larger installations, refurbishing both pre-war Yemeni Army tunnel systems and building entirely new underground facilities.
Hinz added that the construction efforts illustrate that even before the military confrontation with the US and allied forces, the Houthis were preparing for, and hardening themselves in case of, future conflict.
According to the analysis the Houthis embarked on a more expansive construction effort that went beyond refurbishing and expanding existing underground facilities.
In late 2022, the Houthis began work on a new facility in a valley near their local stronghold of Saada.
As of February 2024, satellite images show three tunnel entrances wide enough to accommodate heavy vehicles and large piles of excavation waste at the site.
Two more sites near Saada showed features consistent with military-underground-facility construction but cannot be conclusively identified as such.
Work also took place at a former Yemeni Army Scud missile base at Jabal Attan in Sana’a.
The Houthis, in the first half of 2023, began constructing a large tunnel, suggesting that work on a large underground facility was under way.
The fact that the Houthis began constructing major new installations after the ceasefire agreement suggests that the group is focused on entrenching themselves and bolstering their military capabilities.