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Two members of the Navy SEALs who have been reported lacking final week off the coast of Somalia have been a part of a nighttime commando operation that seized a small boat carrying deadly help from Iran to the Houthi militia in Yemen, the U.S. army stated on Tuesday.
Navy commandos, backed by helicopters and drones hovering overhead, boarded the small boat, referred to as a dhow, on Thursday and seized Iranian-made ballistic-missile and cruise-missile elements sure for Yemen, the Pentagon’s Central Command stated in an announcement.
The seized gadgets included propulsion and steerage techniques and warheads for Houthi medium-range ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles, in addition to air-defense elements, the assertion stated. Such weapons transfers to the Houthis violate worldwide legislation and a United Nations Safety Council decision, the army stated.
“Preliminary evaluation signifies these identical weapons have been employed by the Houthis to threaten and assault harmless mariners on worldwide service provider ships transiting within the Crimson Sea,” the assertion stated.
The Navy boarding was the primary seizure by U.S. forces of Iran-supplied weapons to the Houthis for the reason that Iran-backed militants launched the primary of greater than 30 assaults in November towards industrial vessels working within the Crimson Sea and close by waters. It was additionally the primary seizure of superior Iranian-made ballistic missile and cruise missile elements by the Navy since November 2019.
The Houthi militia launched a brand new spherical of assaults in transport lanes crucial for world commerce over the weekend, damaging a U.S.-owned industrial ship on Monday after trying to hit an American warship the day earlier than.
The strikes got here simply days after the U.S. and British militaries unleashed a strong barrage on militant websites in Yemen, and the Houthi response made clear how troublesome it would show to take away the risk posed to transport in and across the Crimson Sea.
After Thursday’s boarding operation, the Navy deemed the dhow unsafe and sank the vessel. Its 14 crew members have been taken aboard a Navy ship, in response to the army’s assertion.
Gen. Michael E. Kurilla, the pinnacle of the Central Command, stated that the search continued for the 2 members of the SEALs, working from the expeditionary vessel Lewis B. Fuller, who have been reported misplaced within the boarding mission.
As the 2 commandos tried to board the dhow Thursday evening in tough seas, one of many males apparently slipped off the boarding ladder or was swept off by a excessive wave, in response to one present and one former Pentagon official who have been briefed on the incident. One other member of the group then jumped into the water to attempt to rescue the sailor, the officers stated. Each quickly disappeared within the swells.
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