Published: · Region: Middle East · Category: conflict

Houthis Seen Moving Rare UAE‑Supplied Chinese Howitzer, Highlighting Yemen Arms Diversion

Footage from Yemen shows Ansar Allah fighters moving captured vehicles and artillery, including a rare China‑made Norinco AH4 155 mm towed howitzer that analysts say was originally supplied by the UAE to the Southern Giants Brigade.

New imagery from Yemen points to a familiar pattern in the country’s long war: foreign‑supplied heavy weapons changing hands and turning up with rival forces.

Analyst account war_noir published footage showing fighters from Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, moving captured vehicles and artillery pieces to be used against forces loyal to the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC). Among them is what war_noir identifies as a China‑made Norinco AH4 155 mm towed howitzer, a relatively rare system in global service.

According to the same source, the AH4 in question was originally supplied by the United Arab Emirates to the Southern Giants Brigade, a powerful anti‑Houthi formation in Yemen’s south. Its appearance with Houthi fighters suggests it was captured or otherwise transferred during recent battles.

A modern 155 mm howitzer gives its operator reach against bases, logistics routes and population centers from significant distance, especially in rugged terrain where counter‑battery fire is more complicated. In a conflict already marked by artillery duels and civilian casualties, the redistribution of such a system strengthens Houthi firepower at the expense of their Gulf‑backed rivals.

The episode also underscores the broader problem of arms diversion in Yemen. Years of external support to local factions have left the country saturated with advanced weapons that can change hands as units are overrun, defect or fragment.

Key developments to watch will be whether more high‑end systems supplied by regional backers appear under Houthi control, how PLC‑aligned forces adjust their deployments in response to enhanced Houthi artillery, and whether outside governments tighten oversight of weapons they send into Yemen’s conflict.

Sources

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