Washington: The maritime security landscape faces heightened tensions as Houthi rebels persist in their attacks on ships, with recent developments highlighting the gravity of the situation. In a tragic turn of events, two US Navy SEALs who went missing during an operation to seize Iranian weapons destined for Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been declared dead after an exhaustive 10-day search yielded no results, according to the US military.
The Central Command (CENTCOM) had initially reported that the two SEALs were lost at sea during a daring operation on January 11. The elite special operations personnel boarded a dhow off the coast of Somalia, successfully seizing missile components believed to be manufactured in Iran and bound for the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
In an official statement, CENTCOM expressed regret, stating, “We regret to announce that after a 10-day exhaustive search, our two missing US Navy SEALs have not been located and their status has been changed to deceased.” The statement continued, “The search and rescue operation… concluded and we are now conducting recovery operations.”
The capture of the Iranian-made missile components is significant, marking “the first seizure of lethal, Iranian-supplied advanced conventional weapons… to the Huthis since the beginning of Huthi attacks against merchant ships in November 2023,” according to CENTCOM. The Houthi rebels had initiated attacks on ships in the Red Sea, claiming their targets were linked to Israel and asserting support for Palestinians in Gaza.
In response to the Houthi attacks, the United States and Britain conducted strikes on numerous rebel targets. American forces also targeted missiles deemed ready to launch, posing a threat to both civilian and military vessels. Despite these efforts, the Houthi rebels remain undeterred and continue their assaults on ships in the region.
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the entrance to the Red Sea between southwest Yemen and Djibouti, plays a critical role in global trade, with approximately 12 percent of global trade passing through it. However, the Houthi attacks have disrupted shipping routes, leading to significant diversions around the African continent to avoid the volatile Red Sea region.
As maritime tensions escalate, international stakeholders are closely monitoring the situation, evaluating the effectiveness of recent military actions and considering additional measures to ensure the security of vital sea routes in the region. The continued attacks by Houthi rebels underscore the complexity and challenges of maintaining maritime stability in strategically important waterways. The global community remains vigilant, recognizing the need for collaborative efforts to address the evolving security threats at sea.
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