Yemeni opposition forces working with the American military have seized the largest cargo of Iranian advanced conventional weapons bound for the Houthis.
In total, more than 750 tons of Iranian munitions and hardware including hundreds of advanced cruise, anti-ship, and anti-aircraft missiles, warheads and seekers, components as well as hundreds of drone engines, air defence equipment, radar systems, and communications equipment were intercepted from a dhow bound for the Houthis.
General Michael Kurilla, commander of US CENTCOM forces, commented: “The interdiction of this massive Iranian shipment shows that Iran remains the most destabilising actor in the region. Limiting the free flow of Iranian support to the Houthis is critical to regional security, stability, and freedom of navigation.”
Since late 2023, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have waged a sustained campaign against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, targeting vessels they allege are linked to Israel, the US, or its allies. The group has used drones, ballistic missiles, and fast-attack boats to disrupt maritime trade, particularly in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
