A U.S. Navy SEAL team has boarded and seized a boat carrying what the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) suspects is a shipment of Iranian weapons intended for the Houthi rebel forces in Yemen.
The SEAL team, operating from USS Lewis B Puller (ESB 3), and supported by helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, boarded a dhow in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Somalia on Thursday, Jan. 11, according to a statement shared by CENTCOM on Tuesday. Once aboard the small vessel, the SEAL team reportedly seized suspected Iranian-made ballistic missile and cruise missile components, including propulsion, guidance, and warhead components for medium-range ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles like those that the Houthis have used in recent attacks targeting commercial shipping.
“This is the first seizure of lethal, Iranian-supplied advanced conventional weapons (ACW) to the Houthis since the beginning of Houthi attacks against merchant ships in November 2023,” CENTCOM said of the maritime raid. “The interdiction also constitutes the first seizure of advanced Iranian-manufactured ballistic missile and cruise missile components by the U.S. Navy since November 2019.”
CENTCOM shared photos of the various suspected Iranian missile components the SEAL team had seized during the Jan. 11 maritime raid.
The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, are a Zaydi Shiite movement that has intermittently fought with Yemen’s internationally recognized government since 2004. While the Yemeni conflict has waned in recent months with moves toward a ceasefire in the country, the Houthis have turned their attention to the ongoing Israel–Hamas conflict, launching missile and drone attacks intended to hinder the Israeli side. As part of their efforts against Israel, the Houthis have also repeatedly attacked merchant ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden that they believe are connected to the Israeli side.
The U.S. government has long suspected the Iranian regime of supplying and funding the Houthis. The Iranian side has cheered the recent Houthi attacks but has previously denied arming the group or helping it plan its attacks.
“It is clear that Iran continues shipment of advanced lethal aid to the Houthis,” CENTCOM commander and Army Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said on Tuesday. “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. We will continue to work with regional and international partners to expose and interdict these efforts, and ultimately to reestablish freedom of navigation.”
U.S. forces reported detaining 14 crewmembers aboard the seized dhow. The vessel was deemed unsafe and was deliberately sunk by U.S. forces following the raid. CENTCOM said the vessel’s 14 crewmembers were being dealt with in accordance with international law.
Missing SEALs Were Part of Raid Mission
CENTCOM also confirmed that this Jan. 11 maritime raid had directly involved two Navy SEALs that the Middle East-based U.S. military command had reported missing on Jan. 12. Search efforts are ongoing for the pair of special operations sailors.
“We are conducting an exhaustive search for our missing teammates,” Gen. Kurilla said on Tuesday.
CENTCOM revealed the boarding mission took place at night time, which would have added a level of risk to the already complex and dangerous practice of transferring from a moving helicopter or speed boat onto a target vessel.
CENTCOM provided few additional details about how the two SEALs ended up overboard in its Tuesday statement about the dhow raid.
“For operational security purposes, we will not release additional information until the personnel recovery operation is complete,” CENTCOM said in its initial statement announcing the missing sailors. “Out of respect for the families affected, we will not release further information on the missing personnel at this time.”