Nameless Captives and Bodies in the Shadows: Hezbollah Losses Revealed in Yemen Battles

Lebanese security sources revealed to "Erem News" information indicating that members of Lebanese Hezbollah were captured by Yemeni government forces during recent battles on the west coast. This coincided with the killing of two Hezbollah experts and two Iranian Quds Force experts in an airstrike targeting a joint Houthi command center in Al Jawf province, northern Yemen.

The sources stated that counterattacks launched by government forces following the Houthis' advance toward Bab el-Mandeb resulted in the capture of fighters, with preliminary information indicating the presence of Hezbollah affiliates among them.

It was clarified that the number and identities of the Lebanese captives have not yet been determined. No official announcement has been issued by Yemeni authorities or Hezbollah confirming the incident, and "Erem News" was unable to independently verify it.

Four Experts Killed in Al Jawf

In another development, sources revealed that a precise airstrike earlier targeted a joint Houthi command and operations center in Al Jawf province, resulting in the death of four military experts, including two Lebanese from Hezbollah and two Iranians from the Quds Force.

According to the sources, the four experts were working in operations management and military coordination within the targeted headquarters, amid strict secrecy regarding their names and military ranks.

They indicated that foreign advisors use code names and false identities during their movements, and that information suggests the bodies of the deceased were transferred secretly and buried away from media announcements. The Houthi militia, Hezbollah, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps have not announced these losses.

Battle Management from Back Rooms

Sources reported that Hezbollah and Revolutionary Guard advisors participated in field planning and logistical operations management accompanying the recent Houthi attacks on the west coast, particularly in the Mocha, Hays, and Khokha axes.

They confirmed that the role of these advisors is not limited to training but includes overseeing military communications, developing drone and missile systems, and contributing to the management of joint operations rooms.

Most experts work, according to the information, inside protected back offices far from engagement lines, providing technical and operational advice without usually participating in direct ground combat.

Sources indicate that targeting command centers now poses a threat to these advisors, despite security measures taken to protect them and conceal their identities.

Repositioning

Sources revealed that military escalation during September and October led to a redistribution of Hezbollah experts already present in Yemen and the activation of tactical operations rooms to keep pace with battle developments.

It was explained that military pressures facing the party in Lebanon limited its ability to send large human reinforcements, leading to greater reliance on advisors already there.

The tasks of these experts are concentrated in Sanaa and Saada, where planning and guidance centers are located, and in Hodeidah and the west coast, where oversight of anti-ship missiles, drones, and naval capabilities takes place.

Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council member and National Resistance leader Tariq Saleh announced in statements in 2021 that more than 300 Hezbollah experts had entered Yemen since after 2011 to participate in training the Houthis and developing their military capabilities.

This figure does not represent the total currently present, as some may have left or been replaced over time.