The Iran-backed Houthi forces have been accused of using artificial intelligence to create an audio recording resembling the voice of Yemeni military commander Lieutenant General Tareq Saleh. The alleged AI-generated recording reportedly circulated during the Houthis’ offensive to capture the strategic port city of Mocha.
Mocha-based satellite television channel Aljoumhouriya TV also reported on the alleged AI audio and described it as an attempt to mislead public opinion and undermine troop morale. Saleh’s media arm later said that his official statements would only be released through authorised National Resistance military channels and warned people against trusting unauthenticated messages. The reported audio circulated as Houthi fighters advanced through positions held by Saleh’s forces along Yemen’s western coast.
The Iran-backed group captured the city on Thursday after forces of the internationally recognised government withdrew, according to sources cited by Al Jazeera . The Houthis have seized the strategic Red Sea city of Mocha, expanding their presence near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important shipping routes. The alleged AI-generated recording was reportedly part of a broader attempt to confuse government-aligned troops during the fighting.
The disputed audio recording reportedly featured a voice resembling Saleh and included a message to withdraw from Mocha, according to the Basha Report, a risk advisory firm. The recording was fabricated using artificial intelligence and falsely attributed to the commander, according to Saleh’s National Resistance Forces. Houthi forces also sent messages offering amnesty to soldiers who surrendered their weapons and returned home, according to the Basha Report, according to reports.
