Jan 16, 2024 at 12:46 Update: 23 minutes ago
The United States says it has intercepted an Iranian arms shipment at sea for the Houthi rebels in Yemen. That happened on January 11, the American armed forces report.
The armed forces say it is the first time that deadly and sophisticated Iranian weapons intended for the insurgents have been seized since the Houthis began attacking international shipping in November.
The US Armed Forces Central Command says the weapons were found on board a boat. It was located in international waters off the coast of Somalia. There would have been rocket parts on board, among other things.
An initial analysis shows that the same types of weapons have been used by the Houthis in attacks on ships in the Red Sea, the Americans say.
US ships targeted by Houthis
The Houthi rebels have been attacking ships in the Red Sea linked to Israel since October, as a sign of support for Hamas and the people of Gaza.
Last week, after several warnings to the rebels, the United States decided to take action. Together with the British, and with non-operational support from the Netherlands and others, they carried out air raids on rebel military targets.
A Houthi spokesman said last week that US and British “interests” were being targeted in response to the US-British airstrikes. It was announced on Monday evening that American ships would also be included.
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What weapons do the Houthis use to attack ships?
Read more about the situation in the Middle East here
Image: Reuters
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YemenForeignIsraeli-Palestinian conflictMiddle East tensions
2024-01-16 11:46:00
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