The US Navy announced Tuesday what is believed to be the first seizure of Iranian weapons bound for Yemen since the Houthi rebels began their campaign of attacks against international merchant ships in the Red Sea two months ago; However, the two Navy SEALs were lost at sea during the mission carried out. last week they remain missing amid search and rescue efforts.
On January 11, 2024, while conducting a flag check, U.S. Navy CENTCOM forces “conducted a nighttime seizure of a dhow illegally transporting advanced lethal aid from Iran to resupply Houthi forces in Yemen as part of the Houthis' ongoing campaign.” of attacks against international merchant marines,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement Tuesday.
“U.S. Navy SEALs operating from the USS Lewis B Puller (ESB 3), supported by helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), executed a complex boarding of the dhow near the coast of Somalia in international waters of the Arabian Sea, seizing Iranian-made aircraft, ballistic missile components and cruise missiles,” the statement said. “Seized items include propulsion, guidance and warheads for Houthi medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBM) and anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), as well as associated air defense components.”
NAVY SEALS MISSING OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA WERE CHASING IRAN-MADE WEAPONS BOUND FOR YEMEN, OFFICIAL SAYS
On January 10, 2024, a dhow was identified and assessed to be in the process of smuggling. USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3) was sent to conduct flag verification. (US Central Command)
“Initial analysis indicates that the Houthis have used these same weapons to threaten and attack innocent sailors on international merchant ships transiting the Red Sea,” CENTCOM added. “This is the first seizure of lethal advanced conventional weapons (ACW) supplied by Iran to the Houthis since the start of Houthi attacks on merchant ships in November 2023. The interdiction also marks the first seizure of advanced ballistic missiles and cruisers manufactured in Iran. missile components by the US Navy since November 2019. The direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of weapons to the Houthis in Yemen violates UN Security Resolution 2216 and international law .
On 11 January, USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3) intercepts the dhow and makes a night boarding. American sailors maintained custody of the dhow until dawn and completed an extensive search of the ship with the assistance of the U.S. Coast Guard. (US Central Command)
CENTCOM clarified that the two US Navy SEALs who had previously been lost at sea were directly involved in this operation.
“We are conducting an exhaustive search for our missing colleagues,” Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of USCENTCOM, said in a statement.
On January 12, an initial search of the dhow revealed suspicious material throughout the holds. (US Central Command)
The dhow was deemed unsafe and sunk by US Navy forces. The disposition of the dhow's 14 crew members is being determined in accordance with international law, the Navy said.
“It is clear that Iran continues to send advanced lethal aid to the Houthis. This is yet another example of how Iran is actively sowing instability throughout the region in direct violation of UN Security Resolution 2216 and international law,” Kurilla added. “We will continue to work with regional and international partners to expose and intercept these efforts and ultimately restore freedom of navigation.”
The packages were opened on board the dhow and advanced conventional weapons (ACW) were identified. Ordnance professionals immediately verified that the items were safe. (US Central Command)
2 NAVY SEALS DISAPPEAR OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA DURING A NIGHT BOARDING MISSION
The missing sailors have so far not been publicly identified as efforts continue to find them alive.
Reports, citing US officials, say the two special forces operators were climbing a ladder aboard a ship while on a mission in the Gulf of Aden when high waves threw one of them into the sea. The second SEAL jumped after the first as part of Navy SEAL protocol to help a fellow SEAL in distress and both disappeared. The Gulf of Aden has warm waters, so strong waves and exhaustion are more worrying than hypothermia.
Tuesday's announcement comes a day after Houthi rebels fired a missile that hit a US-owned ship on Monday off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden, less than a day after they launched a cruise missile anti-ship towards an American destroyer in the Red Sea.
The dhow was brought alongside the USS Lewis B. Puller and advanced conventional weapons (ACW) materials were unloaded. (US Central Command)
The attack on the Gibraltar Eagle, later claimed by the Houthis, further escalated tensions affecting the Red Sea after US-led attacks on the rebels. The Houthi attacks have disrupted global shipping, amid Israel's war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and target a crucial corridor linking cargo and energy shipments from Asia and the Middle East to the Canal. Suez and then to Europe.
The United States, with help from the United Kingdom, began strikes in Yemen on Friday, hitting 28 locations and hitting more than 60 targets with cruise missiles and bombs dropped by fighter jets, warships and a submarine. Affected sites included weapons depots, radars and command centers, including in remote mountainous areas, the United States said.
After the transfer, all material was unpacked and confirmed to be advanced conventional weapons (ACW). (US Central Command)
The Houthis have not yet acknowledged the severity of the damage caused by the attacks, which they said killed five of their soldiers and wounded six others.
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US forces followed up with an attack Saturday against a Houthi radar site. Since November, rebels have repeatedly attacked ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel's campaign in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently attacked ships with weak or no ties to Israel, endangering shipping on a key route for global trade.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
