The United Kingdom announced on Thursday that it had seized “advanced” Iranian missiles from smugglers in the Gulf of Oman earlier this year, which officials pointed to as evidence that Tehran is supporting the Houthi rebels in Yemen. With assistance provided by the US Navy, Royal Navy HMS Montrose completed two separate seizures of smugglers operating speedboats off the coast of Iran on 28 January and 25 February. In direct violation of a 2015 arms embargo imposed by the UN Security Council, the smugglers were found to be carrying “dozens of packages” containing surface-to-air missiles and engines for land-attack cruise missiles. British Royal Navy Gulf of Oman off Iran. (Photo courtesy of the British Royal Navy.) BELGIUM TREATY VOTE COULD FREE IRANIAN TERRORIST “This is the first time a British Navy warship has interdicted a vessel carrying such sophisticated weapons from Iran,” the British embassy in Washington said in a statement. On both occasions, a Wildcat helicopter was launched from HMS Montrose and scanning the area on a routine check found vessels speeding away from the Iranian coastline. After pursuing the ships with air support from an MH-60 Seahawk helicopter from the destroyer USS Gridley, British marines approached the ships in rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) before inspecting them. “Dozens of packages containing advanced weaponry were discovered, seized and returned to HMS Montrose,” the embassy said, adding that 358 surface-to-air missiles and 351 land-attack cruise missiles were discovered. The British embassy also noted that the land attack cruise missile, which has a range of more than 620 miles, is regularly used by the Houthi rebels in strikes against Saudi Arabia. Weapons seized by the British Royal Navy from Iranian smugglers. (Photos courtesy of the British Royal Navy) Iran Announces Missile Launch As NUCLEAR DEAL TALKS REOPEN The missile was used in the January 17, 2022, attack in Abu Dhabi, killing three civilians.
“These interdictions demonstrate the professionalism and commitment of the Royal Navy to promoting stability in this region,” HMS Montrose’s commanding officer Claire Thompson said after the seizures. “I am extremely proud of my crew – the Royal Navy sailors, aircrew and Royal Marines involved in these efforts and the significant positive impact they are having in maintaining international rules-based order at sea.”
A panel of experts hosted by the UK Ministry of Defense reviewed the weapons seized in coordination with a UN Security Council resolution and received a technical briefing from UK Defense Service analysts.
Weapons seized by the British Royal Navy from Iranian smugglers. (Photos courtesy of the British Royal Navy) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The US and UK have said they are committed to working together to stop illegal arms smuggling from Iran to Yemen, which is the site of one of the world’s biggest humanitarian crises. The eight-year war has killed an estimated 377,000 people and displaced more than 4.3 million Yemenis internally. Caitlin McFall is a reporter for Fox News Digital. She can be reached at [email protected] or @ctlnmcfall on Twitter.