The U.S. military announced on Tuesday that Ukraine received a shipment of weapons and ammunition. These supplies were originally seized between May 2021 and February 2023 while being transported from Iran to Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The shipment included over 5,000 rifles, machine guns, sniper rifles, and rocket launchers, along with over half a million rounds of ammunition. This amount is enough to equip a Ukrainian brigade.
The U.S. says these weapons will help Ukraine defend itself against the Russian invasion. The U.S. government gained legal ownership of the weapons in December 2023. This is not the first such transfer; Ukraine received seized Iranian regime ammunition in October 2023.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) condemned Iran regime’s support for armed groups, stating it threatens regional security and U.S. interests. They pledged to continue efforts to expose and stop such activities.
This interception underscores the persistent pattern of Iran regime’s destabilizing activities and its role in fueling conflicts beyond its borders.
The Houthis in Yemen has received increasing support from the Iranian regime since the early 2000s, though the extent and nature of this support has evolved over time:
- In the early 2000s, Iran’s regime likely provided the Houthis with limited material support, as the group was a relatively minor insurgency at the time and Yemen was not a major priority for the Iranian regime.
- Relations between the Houthis and Iran’s regime ramped up after 2011 as Yemen’s central government weakened amid political turmoil. Iran saw an opportunity to support the Houthis as they expanded their power and eventually took over the capital Sanaa in 2014.
- The turning point came in 2015 when Saudi Arabia launched a military intervention in Yemen. Iran’s regime then provided the Houthis with more advanced weapons, technical assistance, and training, helping the group become a more formidable force against the Saudi-led coalition.
