Iran transported Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders, military equipment, and gold to Yemen on a Mahan Air flight from Tehran on 13 July, days before the Houthi movement declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia and attacked two Saudi oil tankers.
The flight carried between 10 and 21 IRGC personnel, including senior commanders, along with short- and medium-range missile components and drone parts. Originally bound for Sanaa, the aircraft diverted to Hodeidah after an airstrike hit the capital's airport. Iran also provided training on new missile systems and gold to fund Houthi operations.
The Houthis announced the blockade on 20 July, describing it as retaliation for the Sanaa airport strike.