JERUSALEM (AP) — U.S. Navy SEALs seized Iranian-made missile parts and other weapons from a ship bound for Yemen's Houthi rebels last week in a raid that left two of its commandos missing, the U.S. military said on Tuesday with.
Meanwhile, a new ship in the Red Sea likely came under fire from the Houthis and suffered some damage, although no one was injured, officials said.
The raid represents the latest seizure by the U.S. Navy and its allies of arms shipments destined for the rebels, who have launched a series of attacks now affecting global trade in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden linked to Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The seized missile components included types likely used in these attacks.
The attacks, the U.S.-led retaliation and the raid have all raised tensions across the Middle East, which also led to Iran carrying out ballistic missile attacks in both Iraq and Syria.
The SEAL raid occurred last Thursday, with commandos launching from the USS Lewis B. Puller and supported by drones and helicopters. The US military's Central Command said it took place in the Arabian Sea.
The SEALs found components for cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, including propulsion and guidance devices and warheads, Central Command said. It added that parts of the air defense were also found.
“Initial analysis suggests that the same weapons were used by the Houthis to threaten and attack innocent sailors on international merchant ships traveling in the Red Sea,” the Central Command said in a statement.
Images released by the U.S. military and analyzed by The Associated Press showed components resembling rocket engines and others previously seized. It also included what looked like a cruise missile with a small turbojet engine – a type used by the Houthis and Iran.
The U.S. Navy eventually sank the ship carrying the weapons after deeming it unsafe, Central Command said. The ship's 14 crew members were arrested.
The Houthis have not acknowledged the seizure and the Iranian mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A United Nations resolution bans arms sales to Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Tehran has long denied supplying weapons to the rebels, despite physical evidence, numerous seizures and experts tracing the weapons to Iran.
Meanwhile, a missile hit the Malta-flagged bulk carrier Zografia in the Red Sea on Tuesday. The Greek Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy said the ship was heading north to the Suez Canal at the time of the attack.
The ship, managed by a Greek company, had no cargo on board and suffered only material damage, the ministry said. The crew included 20 Ukrainians, three Filipinos and one Georgian.
Satellite tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press showed the Zografia was still moving after the attack.
The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which monitors incidents in Middle East waterways, had previously confirmed an attack near the Zografia.
Since November, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked ships in the Red Sea, claiming they were retaliating for Israel's Gaza offensive against Hamas. But they have often targeted ships with weak or no clear ties to Israel, endangering shipping on a key route of global trade.
On Friday and Saturday, US-led airstrikes targeted Houthi positions. In response, the Houthis fired a missile at a US bulk carrier in the Gulf of Aden, further increasing risks in the conflict.
The SEALs traveled in small special operations combat vehicles piloted by a Marine special forces unit to get to the boat. As they boarded the ship in rough seas around 8 p.m. local time, a SEAL was knocked over by high waves and a teammate followed him. Both remain missing.
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Associated Press writers Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece, and Tara Copp in Washington contributed to this report.