UK Special Forces join Red Sea mission to seize Iranian arms bound for Yemen

BRITAIN’S Special Forces were last night on the Red Sea after joining US counterparts in an operation to intercept Iranian arms shipments to Yemen.

- Marco Giannangeli

It follows an admission by US President Joe Biden that airstrikes alone may not contain Houthi terrorists in Yemen, with three more vessels hit last week.

Efforts to stop the flow of Iranian arms have been ongoing, with United States Central Command revealing US Navy Seals had seized advanced Iranian-made ballistic and cruise missile components during a nighttime raid on a ship on the Arabian Sea.

Now their efforts will be enhanced by a squadron of 120 SBS soldiers, who have joined with Navy Seals in Djibouti to carry out a new operation.

They will sail in locally sourced Arab dhows, traditional one or two-masted boats common in the Red Sea, to allow them to more closely observe suspect vessels.

Operating in small independent teams, they will use fast boats stowed specially on board to speedily reach and board them. A senior source said last night: “We know that strikes are only part of the answer.

“Houthis are well-trained by Iran and have had plenty of time to hide and secure their weapons.