On Tuesday, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) confirmed that U.S. Navy Forces seized a sailing ship on January 11 that was conducting illegal transport of advanced lethal aid from Iran to resupply the terrorist Houthi forces in Yemen.
“U.S. Navy SEALs operating from USS Lewis B Puller, 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 ballistic missile and cruise missiles components,” USCENTCOM reported. “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. 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 direct or indirect supply, sale, or transfer of weapons to the Houthis in Yemen violates U.N. Security Resolution 2216 and international law,” USCENTCOM added, noting that “two U.S. Navy SEALs previously reported as lost at sea were directly involved in this operation.”
“We are conducting an exhaustive search for our missing teammates,” General Michael Erik Kurilla, USCENTCOM Commander, stated.
The Navy sank the dhow.
“It is clear that Iran continues shipment of advanced lethal aid to the Houthis. This is yet another example of how Iran actively sows instability throughout the region in direct violation of U.N. Security Resolution 2216 and international law,” Kurilla declared. “We will continue to work with regional and international partners to expose and interdict these efforts, and ultimately to reestablish freedom of navigation.”
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On Monday, the Islamic Republic of Iran launched ballistic missiles that landed near the U.S. Consulate in Erbil, Iraq.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a wing of Iran’s military and a designated terrorist organization, took responsibility for the attacks, saying that they were the “headquarters of spies” and “anti-Iranian terrorist gatherings in parts of the region”.
Several people were killed in the attacks, according to ABC News. No American casualties were reported. The attacks comes after Iran has activated its proxies throughout the region to launch more than 120 attacks against U.S. forces since October 17.
Ryan Saavedra contributed to this article.
Related: Iran Launches Ballistic Missile Strike Near U.S. Consulate In Iraq