US Military Seizes Iranian Arms Shipment to Houthis

#Military #Seizes #Iranian #Arms #Shipment #Houthis

Jakarta –

The United States military says it has seized an Iranian arms shipment destined for the Houthi rebel group in Yemen that has been attacking ships in the Red Sea.

“The US Navy seized advanced conventional weapons and other lethal aid originating from Iran and bound for Houthi-controlled Yemeni territory from a ship in the Arabian Sea on January 28,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media, as reported by the news agency AFPThursday (15/2/2024).

In a statement, CENTCOM said the shipment contained more than 200 packages carrying missile components, explosives and other devices.

“This is another example of Iran’s malign activity in the region,” said CENTCOM Chief Michael Erik Kurilla.

“Their continued supply of advanced conventional weapons to the Houthis… continues to undermine the safety of international shipping and the free flow of commerce,” he added.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebel group, which controls much of war-torn Yemen, has been attacking vital shipping lanes in the Red Sea since November last year. The Houthis called the attacks a form of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amidst the Israel-Hamas war.

Their attacks have sparked retaliation by US and British forces, including a new wave of US attacks on Houthi-controlled territory on Wednesday (14/2) local time.

The Houthi offensive has prompted some shipping companies to detour around southern Africa to avoid the Red Sea.

Also read ‘When US-UK Deployed Fighter Jets to Attack Houthi Underground Warehouses’:

(ita/ita)