The U.S. military revealed on Tuesday that U.S. Navy forces seized ballistic and cruise missile components, made in Iran, from a vessel transporting them to Yemen’s Houthis last week.
In a complex night-time operation on Jan. 10, Navy SEALs boarded a dhow—a traditional sailing vessel common in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean regions—in international waters near the coast of Somalia. The operation was supported by helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.
“Seized items include propulsion, guidance, and warheads for Houthi medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) and anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs), as well as air defense associated components,” U.S. Central Command said Tuesday.
“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.”
The operation, conducted during a flag verification operation, marks the first seizure by the U.S. of lethal, Iranian-supplied advanced conventional weapons destined for the Houthis since their attacks began in mid-November, according to U.S. Central Command.
“The interdiction also constitutes the first seizure of advanced Iranian-manufactured ballistic missile and cruise missile components by the U.S. Navy since November 2019,” the U.S. military statement added. “The direct or indirect supply, sale, or transfer of weapons to the Houthis in Yemen violates U.N. Security Resolution 2216 and international law.
Ballistic Missiles Destroyed
The operation was revealed the same day U.S. military forces destroyed four ballistic missiles in a third round of strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets in Yemen.The strikes at 4:15 a.m. local time on Tuesday came in response to an attack on the Gibraltar Eagle, a U.S.-owned Marshall Islands-flagged ship, on Monday.
The third U.S. attack on the group since last week destroyed anti-ship ballistic missiles that U.S. Central Command said were ready to be fired at merchant and Navy ships navigating through the Red Sea and nearby waters.
“These missiles were prepared to launch from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and presented an imminent threat to both merchant and U.S. Navy ships in the region,” U.S. Central Command said Tuesday.
The Houthis, operating from a region in Yemen under their control, have been launching missiles at merchant vessels sailing through the Red Sea.
On Tuesday, the group damaged a Greek-owned, Maltese-flagged ship, the Zografia, at 1:45 p.m. local time.
The Zografia was hit but remains “seaworthy” and will continue to sail without any crew injuries, U.S. Central Command said Tuesday.
White House National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday that the United States is committed to defending its interests.
While expressing the U.S. stance on the matter, Mr. Kirby clarified: “We’re not looking for a war. We’re not looking to expand this.”
He said that the Houthis have a choice to make, urging them to cease their “reckless attacks.”
“We will continue to defend against them and counter them as appropriate,” he added.
“As you saw today, we took additional strikes knocking out four ballistic missiles that we believe were prepped and ready to be launched from Yemen, [and] took them out before they could do that. So, we have said before, we’ll say it again, we stand ready to defend our interests, our sailors, our ships, and that of merchant shipping as required.”
