Senator McCain: Houthi Missiles from Yemen Likely Sent from Iran

Senator John McCain, in a statement praising the U.S. Navy's response to missiles launched in the Gulf of Aden, has raised the possibility that the missiles were sent from Iran to the Houthis. This is not the first time such accusations have been made against Iran. In May of last year, following reports of potential confrontations between Yemeni rebels and the U.S. Navy using Iranian missiles, President Barack Obama stated that Tehran had been explicitly warned. Iranian officials have previously denied these accusations, stating that no shipments or movements of any cargo towards Yemen are allowed. The recent statement from senior Republican Senator John McCain came after unsuccessful missile attacks on the U.S. destroyer Mason in Bab al-Mandab and the U.S. military's missile strike on Houthi equipment in Yemen. McCain's statement was primarily to commend the U.S. military's response, mentioning Iran: 'If the capabilities of the Mason personnel in defending the ship and others nearby had not been there, the Houthi missiles, likely sent from Iran, could have harmed hundreds of American sailors or even led to worse outcomes.' In the early hours of October 22, the USS Nimitz responded to two missile launches from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen towards the Mason by firing at least five cruise missiles, reportedly disabling at least three mobile radar centers in the Houthi region. The Houthis have denied attacking American destroyers. Peter Cook, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, emphasized that the U.S. is not seeking to enter or engage in the war in Yemen, and the early Thursday attacks were conducted to protect Americans. Similar statements were made by the White House spokesperson. Eric Schultz stated that these attacks do not interfere with the existing sectarian tensions in Yemen. A senior U.S. Department of Defense official told AFP that the missiles launched from Houthi-controlled areas appear to be of the C-802 anti-ship type. The C-802 missiles (Chinese: Eagle Strike) were developed by a military academy in China. It is said that the Iranian 'Noor' missiles are based on the C-802. Military expert Hossein Aryan previously wrote in an article for Radio Farda that Yemeni Houthi rebels 'likely used this Chinese missile or its Iranian copy, the Noor missile.' Some media outlets close to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, including the Tasnim news agency, have reported in recent months 'citing Yemeni media' about the launch of missiles primarily made in Iran, such as the 'Zelzal 3.' On the other hand, the Iranian government denies sending missiles to Yemen. Bahram Qasemi, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, stated in mid-October, when similar accusations were made by a U.S. Department of Defense official, that these statements are 'diversionary.' Qasemi said that after a year and a half of the 'siege of Yemen,' while 'delivering humanitarian aid to the people of this country faces numerous challenges,' the accusations regarding missile shipments are an 'admission of inability' in front of the 'people of Yemen.' Iran is a main supporter of the Houthis in Yemen. The Houthis and military supporters of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh forced Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, the Yemeni president who still holds legitimacy according to the UN, to resign from power. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, supports Hadi. Since a coalition led by Riyadh launched military operations in Yemen, nearly seven thousand people have been killed, mostly civilians. The United States has cooperated with the Arab coalition to a limited extent, but following deadly attacks on civilians, this support has become 'very limited' and 'has been reviewed again.' In the early Thursday attack on radars in Yemen, it is the first time the U.S. military has directly taken military action against the Houthis. However, U.S. military operations in Yemen are not new, as the country has been targeting figures, leaders, and individuals from 'Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula' in this country for years.