DUBAI (Reuters) – U.S. forces seized advanced conventional weapons and other lethal aid from Iran that were bound for Houthi-held areas of Yemen on a vessel in the Arabian Sea on Jan. 28, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement on Thursday.
Over 200 packages containing medium-range ballistic missile components, explosives, unmanned underwater/surface vehicle (UUV/USV) components, military-grade communication and network equipment, anti-tank guided missile launcher assemblies, and other military components were discovered on board, it said.
“Iran’s continued supply of advanced conventional weapons to the Houthis continues to undermine the safety of international shipping and the free flow of commerce,” U.S. Centcom commander Michael Erik Kurilla said.
Houthi militants in Yemen have repeatedly launched drones and missiles against international commercial shipping since mid-November, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians against Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
(Reporting by Jana Choukeir; editing by Mark Heinrich)