The Houthis have been attacking the vital Red Sea waterway since November. (document)
Dubai:
The U.S. military said Thursday it seized a shipment of Iranian weapons in January destined for Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have been attacking ships in the Red Sea.
The seizure is part of a broader U.S. effort to counter Houthi attacks, which have triggered retaliation from U.S. and British forces, including a new wave of U.S. attacks on Wednesday.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated on social media that the U.S. Navy “seized advanced conventional weapons and other lethal aid originating from Iran and destined for Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen from a ship in the Arabian Sea on January 28.” “.
The shipment contained more than 200 packages containing missile components, explosives and other devices, the statement said.
“This is yet another example of Iran’s malign activity in the region,” said Central Command Commander Michael Eric Kurilla.
“They continue to supply advanced conventional weapons to the Houthis…continuing to undermine the security of international shipping and the free flow of commerce,” he added.
The Houthis, who control much of war-torn Yemen, have been attacking the vital Red Sea waterway since November in what they say is an act of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during Israel’s war with Hamas.
Even before the Red Sea attack, the United States raided weapons shipments to Yemen that it said originated from Iran.
On January 16, it announced that it was seizing weapons provided by Iran for the first time since the Houthi attack.
The U.S. Navy boarded a ship bound for Yemen and seized Iranian-made missile components and other weapons, Central Command said, in an operation that left two commandos missing.
retaliatory strike
The weapons seizure follows a wave of U.S. attacks on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen aimed at deterring more ship attacks.
The U.S. military said on Thursday it had shot down more drones and missiles in areas controlled by Houthi rebels in Yemen that were intended to be launched at ships in the Red Sea.
Central Command said the attack took place between 1:00 and 7:30 pm (1000 and 1630 GMT) on Wednesday.
U.S. “forces successfully conducted four self-defense strikes against seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, three mobile drones, and an explosive unmanned surface vessel,” the statement said.
The Houthi-owned Saba news agency reported several attacks in Hodeida province.
In a statement earlier on Wednesday, Central Command said an anti-ship ballistic missile was launched into the Gulf of Aden from Houthi-controlled territory, adding that there were no reports of casualties or damage to ships in the area.
In a speech on Thursday, Yemeni rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Huthi accused the United States of launching about 40 attacks this week, most of them targeting Hodeidah.
He said such retaliatory attacks would not prevent his forces from attacking ships if Gaza failed to reach a ceasefire.
He also warned the EU not to get drawn into the confrontation, after member states last month gave initial support for a naval mission to protect ships from attack.
“European countries should not listen to the United States or Britain, nor should they get involved in things that have nothing to do with them or affect them,” the Houthi leader said.
Houthi attacks have prompted some shipping companies to detour through southern Africa to avoid the Red Sea, which normally carries about 12% of global seaborne trade.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development warned late last month that commercial traffic through the Suez Canal had dropped by more than 40% in the past two months.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
