Washington DC accused Iran of trying to ship missiles and other weapons to Yemeni Houthi militia after the US Navy seized two shipments, they announced in a press conference in Tampa, Florida on Wednesday.
“Although a detailed analysis of the shipment is ongoing, the seizure is consistent with the historical pattern of Iranian smuggling of advanced weapons to the Houthis in Yemen, including specific similarities to recent seizures of weapons that a UN panel has reported to be of Iranian manufacture,” said US Central Command spokesperson Navy Captain William Urban.
The intercepted material included ‘150 ‘Dehlavieh’ Iranian-made copies of the Russian Kornet anti-tank guided missile and three Iranian designed and manufactured 358 surface-to-air missiles.’
Both parties have denied direct ties. The United Nations Security Council banned the Houthis from receiving weapons as part of security measures put in place shortly after the Yemeni conflict escalation in 2015.
The two shipments were intercepted on November 25, 2019 and February 9, 2020.
Credit: Department of Defense, Ruptly
