Dramatic speedboat raid in Bab Al Mandeb strait halts weapons shipment to Yemen’s Houthis
A Yemeni pro-government force said it intercepted a boat in the Bab Al Mandeb strait that was carrying weapons-manufacturing equipment for the Houthi rebels.
Members of the Giants Brigades force arrested the crew and seized materials on board, which are now being investigated, the group said.
The boat was intercepted following a tracking and intelligence operation, and belonged to a smuggling network linked to the Iran-backed Houthis, the Giants Brigades said. Initial findings indicated that “the shipment contains components used in military manufacturing operations”.
The Giants Brigades said the operation was part of continuing security measures to secure Yemen’s coasts, to combat smuggling and to cut off maritime supply lines to Houthis from Iran.
The Houthi rebels have not commented on the development.
Videos published by the Giants Brigades showed speedboats encircling the cargo vessel before armed men boarded. The footage showed what appeared to be metal parts for machines after crates had been opened on deck.
Attempts to smuggle components used in the manufacture of drones and missiles in Yemen are increasing, especially as the war between the US and Iran continues.
The Bab Al Mandeb strait is a critical maritime chokepoint between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and a high-risk area due to persistent threats from the Houthis, who have targeted shipping in the region.
The Houthis this week declared an end to the “de-escalation phase” of the country’s civil war after the international airport in Sanaa, the rebel-held capital, was hit by air strikes. The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia for the attack and launched ballistic missiles at the kingdom. Saudi authorities said the missiles were intercepted.
Yemen’s government, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition, said the runway was attacked to prevent an Iranian plane from landing.
The attack, which came days after heavy clashes near Hodeidah that reportedly killed dozens of people, was the latest blow to an already slow peace process in Yemen.
Relative calm has prevailed since a truce in 2022 but Yemen has found itself drawn into wider regional conflicts involving Israel, the US and Iran.