Iran-backed Houthis have arrested a long-standing loyalist in western Yemen, Sheikh Amin Ahmed Saleh Al-Bar'i, accusing him of spying for the United States, local sources informed Barran Press on Tuesday.

Al-Bar'i was detained in the Bura district of Hodeidah province. The Houthis alleged he provided coordinates of their military sites that were recently targeted in U.S. airstrikes, claiming he facilitated strikes that resulted in the deaths of numerous fighters.

The arrest occurred after a video briefing by the U.S. President showed a strike on a Houthi gathering in southern Hodeidah, an area the group uses as launch points for Red Sea attacks.

A prominent tribal figure, Al-Bar'i had previously been involved in recruiting fighters, including children, for Houthi forces. Local sources indicated that many of these recruits died in combat, often without their families being informed.

His detention highlighted increasing internal purges within Houthi ranks, as the group increasingly targets former allies amid growing military pressure.
Earlier this month, the Houthis detained 50 civilians in Hodeidah, accusing them of espionage simply for receiving aid from businessman Ahmed Saleh Al-Eisi.

Since March 15, U.S. forces have conducted airstrikes almost daily against Houthi targets.
On Monday, the Houthi-run health ministry reported over 370 casualties from the ongoing air campaign.