News - Yemen: Yemeni security forces have presented a detailed breakdown of an extensive espionage network, run by a joint intelligence operations room involving American, Israeli, and Saudi officials, and targeting military and economic sites across the country.

In a press conference on Thursday, the Yemeni Interior Ministry disclosed the structure and operations of an espionage cell, which it stated was directed by a joint intelligence command comprising American, Israeli, and Saudi agencies.

According to the Ministry's presentation, the cell followed a clear chain of command. It began with foreign intelligence officers identified by the pseudonyms "Michael" and "John," and was managed on the ground by three Saudi liaison officers, referred to as "Abu Saeed," "Abu Khaled," and "Abu Abdullah." These officers were said to be responsible for communicating with and tasking locally recruited agents.

The Ministry identified a key figure in the network as Ali Qassim Ahmed Al-Bakali, a wanted individual currently residing in Saudi Arabia where he works as an advisor to the Saudi-backed government's Ministry of Culture. His purported role was the recruitment and management of spies to conduct surveillance and gather intelligence.

The investigation, as presented, led to the arrest of several agents, including:

Ali Ali Ahmed: A 42-year-old medical lab graduate who confessed to being recruited in April 2024. He stated he received multi-stage training, including two sessions inside Saudi Arabia, on writing intelligence reports, using covert cameras disguised as car remotes, and operating a live-streaming device installed in his car to transmit data directly to the operations room in Riyadh. His tasks included photographing and reporting on government buildings in 'Amran and Sana'a, and even conducting surveillance on a mosque.

Mahmoud Hassan Mahmoud Omer: An individual working in the ports of Ras Isa and Al-Salif in Hodeidah. He confessed to being recruited to photograph ships, fuel tanks, and other vital installations, sending the information via a dedicated phone to his handlers.

Mujahed Mohammed Ali: recruited by Al-Bakali, he was tasked with identifying and recruiting other agents. His confessed duties included locating and reporting the coordinates of missile launch sites used to target the Israeli enemy, gathering information on military camps and drone storage facilities, and infiltrating youth meetings to gather intelligence.

The Yemeni authorities affirmed that the spies were equipped with specialized communication tools, covert cameras, and live-streaming devices. They were reportedly paid monthly salaries and bonuses for specific information.

The detailed confessions, which include specific dates, locations, and methods, are presented by Yemeni authorities as evidence of a coordinated foreign intelligence effort to monitor and undermine Yemen's military capabilities and economic infrastructure. The reports highlight the ongoing intelligence and proxy warfare layered atop the wider regional conflict.

The announcement comes amid the ongoing regional tensions and the military support of Yemeni forces in solidarity with Gaza. Yemeni authorities have repeatedly affirmed the involvement of the US-Saudi coalition of aggression of conducting intelligence operations and targeting its infrastructure.