AhlulBayt News Agency: Yemen's state television has broadcast confession footage of Abdulmuin Azan, who was convicted of spying for Israel's Mossad, alleging that Israel had planned an attack targeting the Grand Mosque in Mecca and intended to blame Yemeni forces to provoke hostility towards Yemen across the Muslim world.
A man convicted of spying for Israel's Mossad has reportedly revealed an alleged Israeli plan to target the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia and falsely attribute responsibility for the attack to Yemen. According to the claims, the alleged plot was intended to incite Muslims against Yemen and provide justification for the deployment of international forces in the Red Sea.
Yemen's state television has aired a video featuring previous confessional statements by Abdulmuin Azan, who was reportedly a member of a spy network linked to the United States and Israel. He was arrested in 2021. In the footage, Azan alleges that Israel had developed a plan to target the Grand Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) and surrounding areas before blaming Yemeni forces for the attack.
Alleged Meeting with Israeli Intelligence Officer
According to the broadcast confession, Azan said he met an Israeli intelligence officer identified as Shaul Gad in Jordan in late December 2019. During the meeting, they reportedly discussed various proposals to counter the growing military capabilities of Yemen's Ansarullah movement. These proposals allegedly included targeting the Grand Mosque or areas surrounding the Two Holy Mosques.
Azan claimed that the Israeli officer discussed the possibility of carrying out an attack on the Grand Mosque or nearby locations, potentially launching it from the Red Sea or another location to make it appear that the operation had originated from Yemeni territory.
He further alleged that the plan included a coordinated propaganda campaign aimed at stirring anti-Yemeni sentiment among Muslims and Arab populations.
According to Azan, when he warned the Israeli officer about the dangerous consequences of such an operation and its potential regional repercussions, the officer allegedly responded that international forces would secure the Red Sea while the United States would protect oil resources. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, Yemeni forces and Salafi groups would continue fighting one another in the desert, leaving Israel to observe the situation from a distance.
Rising Tensions Between Saudi Arabia and Yemen
The video has emerged amid growing tensions between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, with allegations concerning drone attacks directed towards areas near Mecca. Sanaa, however, has maintained that the airspace surrounding the holy cities of Mecca and Medina remains secure.
According to the report, the latest escalation began after Saudi Arabia bombed Sanaa International Airport in July. In response, Yemen's armed forces adopted what they described as a policy of "blockade for blockade" and announced restrictions on the movement of Saudi-linked vessels in the Red Sea.
Over recent months, the Yemeni military has claimed responsibility for several successful naval operations targeting vessels linked to Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. According to Yemeni statements, the operations were intended to enforce the blockade and disrupt Riyadh's energy exports.
Yemeni forces have also carried out retaliatory attacks inside Saudi territory. In September, Yemeni troops reportedly advanced rapidly across coastal plains, consolidating control over several strategic areas and strengthening their positions near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key maritime passage of considerable strategic importance.
The report also states that Yemen warned airlines last month regarding the use of Saudi airspace, while maintaining that the airspace around Mecca and Medina remained safe.
Background of the Yemen Conflict
The conflict between Yemen and Saudi Arabia began in March 2015, when a Saudi-led coalition, backed by the United States, launched a major military campaign and blockade aimed at restoring the government it supported in Sanaa.
According to the report, despite years of airstrikes and the use of advanced Western weapons, the Saudi-led coalition failed to achieve its stated objectives.
The allegations concerning the alleged Israeli plot are based on the televised confession attributed to Abdulmuin Azan and have not been independently verified.
Your Comment