US Navy seizes illicit shipment of Iranian-made weapons en route to Houthis

The United States Navy successfully seized an illicit shipment of Iranian-made ballistic and cruise missiles’ components intended for the Houthi rebels in Yemen, as announced by US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Tuesday.

The operation took place off the coast of Somalia, and the confiscated items encompassed propulsion, guidance, and warheads designed for medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) and anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs).

Meanwhile, search and rescue operations remain underway for two elite Navy SEALs who went overboard and are missing. One fell into the water, and the second jumped in after them, according to protocol, a US official told CNN on Saturday. “We are conducting an exhaustive search for our missing teammates,” said Gen Michael “Erik” Kurilla, the commander of CENTCOM.

The seizure follows heightened tensions between the US and Iranian proxies in the region. Recently, both the US and UK militaries conducted strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen-controlled areas, responding to the Iran-backed militant group’s attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The international community expressed growing concern over the threat to this crucial waterway.

The strikes aimed to deter further Houthi attacks on international shipping. Despite destroying less than one-third of the Iranian proxy group’s offensive capabilities, the US emphasises the importance of countering the Houthi threat. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas adds complexity to regional tensions.

CENTCOM’s release on Tuesday said US Navy SEALs from the USS Lewis B Puller boarded the dhow in international waters off the coast of Somalia. The US seized “Iranian-made ballistic missile and cruise missiles components,” including “propulsion, guidance, and warheads for Houthi medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) and anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs), as well as air defence-associated components.”

“Initial analysis indicates these same weapons have been employed by the Houthis to threaten and attack innocent mariners on international merchant ships transiting in the Red Sea,” CENTCOM said.

“It is clear that Iran continues the shipment of advanced lethal aid to the Houthis. This is yet another example of how Iran actively sows instability throughout the region in direct violation of UN Security Resolution 2216 and international law,” Kurilla said in the statement, adding, “We will continue to work with regional and international partners to expose and interdict these efforts and ultimately to re-establish freedom of navigation.”Helicopters and drones participated in the operation.

The small vessel was “deemed unsafe and sunk” by the Navy. It is being determined what to do with the 14-person crew in accordance with international law, CENTCOM stated.

CENTCOM has reported intercepting lethal aid shipments from Iran to Yemen on multiple occasions. In February of the previous year, both US and French forces confiscated thousands of assault rifles and half a million rounds of ammunition en route to Yemen.

In an incident in December 2022, the US declared its intention to redirect thousands of seized Iranian weapons and ammunition rounds, originally bound for the Houthis in Yemen, to Ukraine, CNN reported.