Yemeni forces intercept shipment of military equipment bound for Houthis

Yemeni forces have intercepted a shipment of equipment allegedly intended for the Iran-backed Houthi movement in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait area, the Giants Brigades said.

According to the group, the shipment included components used in the production of drones and missiles, turbojet engine parts, mortar equipment and sniper rifle components, as well as other materials that could potentially be used in military manufacturing, Caliber.Az reports.

The vessel was intercepted following a tracking and intelligence operation, the Giants Brigades said, adding that it was linked to a smuggling network associated with the Houthis.

“Initial findings indicated that the shipment contains components used in military manufacturing operations,” the group said.

The Giants Brigades said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to secure Yemen’s coastline, combat smuggling and disrupt maritime supply routes to the Houthis from Iran.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, is a major global shipping chokepoint and has become a high-risk area amid repeated attacks by the Houthis on vessels in the region.

The Houthis this week said they were ending a “de-escalation phase” in Yemen’s civil war after airstrikes hit Sanaa International Airport in the rebel-held capital. The group blamed Saudi Arabia for the strikes and launched ballistic missiles toward the kingdom. Saudi authorities said the missiles were intercepted.

By Sabina Mammadli