Pro-coalition government uses Israeli spyware to hack cell phones

HADRAMOUT, Oct. 07 (YPA) – A digital security expert has revealed that officers from the Interior Ministry, loyal to the Saudi-led coalition, have used Israeli-made technology to spy on Yemeni citizens in coalition-controlled areas.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, expert Fahmi Albaheth stated that pro-coalition security forces in Hadramawt likely used extraction tools from the Israeli company Cellebrite on a journalist’s phone in a case related to Facebook posts.

According to Al-Bahith, documents indicate that UAE-backed security officials used these tools in the city of Mukalla.

He emphasized that this sensitive technology can access a smartphone’s private content, including images and chats, and operates without independent judicial oversight or clear regulatory safeguards. “This represents a direct threat to individuals’ privacy and personal data,” he warned.

Albaheth called on the pro-coalition Attorney General and Judiciary Council to investigate the use of such software.

He also demanded that the coalition-backed Interior Ministry publicly disclose the types of digital forensic tools it employs.

Furthermore, he raised critical questions about the legality and oversight of the technology, including whether official licenses from the Israeli supplier exist, if they contain privacy guarantees, what the data retention policies are, and how many cases have utilized these tools over the past three years.

The revelations have caused significant alarm among residents in Hadramawt, with reports of similar surveillance tools being deployed in Aden and other coalition-held territories.

It is worth noting that Hadramout and other provinces have seen an ongoing intelligence conflict between Saudi Arabia and the UAE over control of strategic, resource-rich areas.

@E.Y.M