Yemen intercepts record number of Iranian weapons bound for Houthis, U.S. CENTCOM says

U.S. Central Command said its Yemeni partners successfully intercepted a “massive Iranian weapons shipment” that was meant to reach the nation’s Houthi rebels.

The Yemeni National Resistance Forces seized more than 750 tons of munitions and hardware, including hundreds of advanced cruise, anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles, warheads and seekers, CENTCOM said. 

The seizure also included hundreds of drone engines, radar systems and air defense and communication equipment, as well as manuals written in Farsi, CENTCOM said. CENTCOM said that the National Resistance Forces reported many of the systems were manufactured by a company affiliated with the Iranian Ministry of Defense. The company is under U.S. sanctions, CENTCOM said.  

This marked the largest seizure of Iranian advanced conventional weapons in the National Resistance Forces’ history, CENTCOM said. 

“We commend the legitimate government forces of Yemen who continue to interdict the flow of Iranian munitions bound for the Houthis,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, the commander of CENTCOM. “The interdiction of this massive Iranian shipment shows that Iran remains the most destabilizing actor in the region. Limiting the free flow of Iranian support to the Houthis is critic to regional security, stability, and freedom of navigation.”

Yemen’s Houthi rebels spent months launching drone and rocket attacks targeting military and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The attacks targeted vital shipping lanes. 

The U.S. conducted several military strikes against the rebel group. In May, President Trump said the group had “capitulated” and that the U.S. would not carry out further strikes. The Houthis did not comment on the alleged agreement at the time. 

The Yemeni rebels attacked a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in the Red Sea on July 8. Three people were killed, two were wounded and several others were kidnapped. The Houthis also claimed they had attacked and sank another vessel on July 7. The incidents have raised concern that the Houthis may resume attacks in the area.