The National Resistance Forces (NRF), allied with Yemen's internationally recognized government, released a video on 16/7 showcasing a large weapons cache they claim to have seized from Iran. The NRF asserts these weapons were intended for the Houthi rebels.
According to the NRF, the 750 tons of weapons were confiscated in late June. The video appears to depict anti-ship missiles, as well as 358 air defense missiles (also known as Saqr-1), developed by Iran. These weapons are described as loitering munitions, capable of circling a designated area to search for targets.
The Houthi rebels claim to have shot down 26 US MQ-9 drones over the past decade, allegedly using 358 missiles. The US military has confirmed most of these losses.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, stated that the seized weapons included hundreds of cruise missiles, anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles, warheads, guidance systems, drone components, hundreds of drone engines, air defense equipment, radar systems, and communication devices.
CENTCOM reports that the seized weapons included instruction manuals in Farsi, the official language of Iran. They also noted that many systems were manufactured by a company linked to Iran's Ministry of Defense, a company currently under US sanctions.
Neither Iran nor the Houthi rebels have confirmed this information. Tehran has previously denied supplying weapons to the group, despite Iranian-made military equipment being found on Yemeni battlefields and in shipments intercepted en route to the country.
The US Navy and other Western navies have reported intercepting Iranian arms shipments to the Houthis in recent years. However, this is the first major seizure announced by the NRF, led by Tariq Saleh, nephew of former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was assassinated in 2017.
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Alleged Iranian weapons shown in a photo released on 16/7. Photo: CENTCOM |
The Houthi rebels seized control of Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in 2014, sparking conflict with the internationally recognized government. A Saudi-led coalition, backed by US weapons and intelligence, intervened in 2015 to support the government.
The conflict in Yemen has resulted in over 150,000 deaths and triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
Pham Giang (According to AP)
