Navy Seals intercept Iran's weapons shipment to Yemen, two commandos go missing
United States Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that a successful operation was carried out by the Navy Seals on Tuesday, January 11, in the Arabian Sea near Somalia. They boarded and seized a consignment of smuggled weapons from Iran destined for Houthi combatants.
1:42 PM EST, January 16, 2024
The Americans highlight that this marks the first operation of its kind where they intercepted deadly, advanced conventional weapons (ACW) from Iran.
The intended recipients of the weapons shipment were members of the Houthi organization in Yemen.
The seized items include components for medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBM) and anti-ship maneuvering missiles (ASCM), along with parts related to air defense, reported the US Army headquarters.
The American command stressed that an "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."
However, the military operation did not proceed entirely as planned by the Americans. Two Navy Seals fell overboard while boarding the weapons-carrying ship. Despite an immediate search operation, their whereabouts remain uncertain.
Officially, both commandos are deemed missing. The United States Army, in collaboration with allies from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, has deployed forces to the Arabian Sea. They aim to provide safe passage to trade routes from potential Houthi attacks. Recent weeks have seen an uptick in assaults by Yemeni partisans against vessels.
