U.S. to Augment Efforts to Counter Flow of Smuggled Iranian Weapons to Yemen

The Biden administration is augmenting efforts to monitor and intercept Iranian weapons that are smuggled to Yemen's Ansar Allah (Houthi) group, which have targeted several commercial vessels and American warships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden over the past few months.

U.S. officials familiar with the matter told the Washington Post today Washington aims to map routes used by Iran and intercept weapons bound for the Houthi group as their assaults on shipping lanes have turned deadly.

According to U.S. officials, the initiative seeks to map maritime routes used by Tehran and stop the arms shipments while in transit, and this appears to be an acknowledgment that the Houthi group potentially poses a significant security challenge for the foreseeable future.

Speaking to the Washington Post, a senior U.S. defense official said the evolving mission to counter the flow of smuggled weapons to Yemen is "a renewed effort to try to better understand what those water routes look like."

The official added that this mission requires considerable collaboration with the U.S. intelligence community. Another senior official indicated that Washington is finding out how partner nations, particularly countries economically affected by the Houthi attacks, can magnify their role in disrupting the smuggling of Iranian arms to Yemen.

In mid-January this year, the U.S. Navy intercepted a dhow in international waters of the Arabian Sea transporting advanced weapons to the Houthi group.

The seized items include propulsion, guidance, and warheads for Houthi medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs), anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs), and air defense-related components, according to the U.S. Central Command.

The U.S. Central Command announced in mid-February a U.S. Coast Guard ship deployed to the region "seized advanced conventional weapons and other lethal aid originating in Iran and bound to Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen from a vessel in the Arabian Sea on January 28."

More than 200 packages of weaponry were found. According to CENTCOM, the packages contained "medium-range ballistic missile components, explosives, unmanned underwater/surface vehicle components, military-grade communication and network equipment, anti-tank guided missile launcher assemblies, and other military components."

According to U.N. experts, maritime smuggling has originated from Iranian ports such as Bandar Jask in the Gulf of Oman and Bandar Abbas in the Strait of Hormuz. The shipment of smuggled weapons can be transported through the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden to Yemen or take routes over land through bordering countries such as Oman.

Late last month, Houthi movement chief Abdulmalek Al-Houthi said he would introduce military "surprises" in their Red Sea. "Our military operations will continue and advance, and we have surprises that our enemies will not expect at all."

 Houthis have said they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians against Israel's military actions in Gaza, where Israel has killed over 30000 people. They insist their attacks will not stop unless the Israeli war on Gaza ceases.