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US Navy seizes Iran missile parts destined for Houthis, alleges violation of arms embargo – JURIST

US Navy SEALs boarded a vessel and seized Iranian-manufactured missile components destined for Houthi rebel forces in Yemen during a flag verification mission in the Arabian Sea near the coast of Somalia, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Tuesday, claiming the components were being transported in violation of a UN Security Council arms embargo.The operation, supported by helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), led to the confiscation of advanced weaponry, including parts for medium-range ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles.The ship’s crew, consisting of 14 members, was detained, and the vessel, deemed unsafe, was sunk by US Navy forces. CENTCOM said that the disposition of the crew “is being determined by international law.” Two US Navy SEALs involved in the mission were reported missing at sea. A search operation is underway.“It is clear that Iran continues shipment of advanced lethal aid to the Houthis. This is yet another example of how Iran actively sows instability throughout the region in direct violation of UN Security Resolution 2216 and international law,” CENTCOM commander General Michael Erik Kurilla said. He continued, emphasized the operation’s importance in countering Iran’s efforts to destabilize the region, “We will continue to work with regional and international partners to expose and interdict these efforts, and ultimately to re-establish freedom of navigation.”The interdiction is part of ongoing efforts to enforce UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, including 2015’s UNSC Resolution 2216, which are aimed at halting the flow of weapons to the Houthis following the outbreak of the Yemeni Civil War.International attention toward the Houthis has increased since the group began to attack commercial shipping in November 2023. Just last week, the US and UK defended retaliatory strikes against Houthi positions at the UN Security Council, arguing that they were in full compliance with international law, and the strikes were necessary measures taken in self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.