Senior U.S. Commander in the Middle East: IRGC Operates 'Shoulder to Shoulder' with Houthis in Yemen

Admiral Brad Cooper, the senior U.S. Navy commander in the Middle East, announced on Thursday, February 15, that Iran's support for Houthi militants in targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea has been 'vital' and that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is present inside Yemen. Admiral Cooper, commander of the Fifth Fleet, told CBS News that 'the IRGC is present in Yemen and they operate shoulder to shoulder with the Houthis, providing them with advice and targeting information.' Admiral Cooper, who is also the deputy commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), stated that this support has continued for the past decade and that the Islamic Republic has been assisting the Houthis for years. On January 17, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the Houthis would be designated as an international terrorist organization by the U.S. government within 30 days, before the end of February. In another development, CENTCOM announced on Thursday the seizure of a ship carrying Iranian weapons for the Houthis. According to CENTCOM's statement, a U.S. Coast Guard cutter stationed in the CENTCOM area of responsibility seized a vessel in the Gulf of Oman on January 28 that was carrying advanced conventional weapons and other lethal aid from the Islamic Republic of Iran destined for Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. The fast response cutter 'USCGC Clarence Sutphin Jr.' of the Sentinel class identified and intercepted the vessel in the Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM's statement added that the seized ship was carrying over 200 packages containing components for medium-range ballistic missiles, explosives, parts for unmanned underwater and surface vessels, military communication equipment, components for guided anti-tank ballistic missile launchers, and other military parts. CENTCOM noted that the supply, sale, or transfer of such assistance violates UN Security Council Resolution 2216, which has been extended by Resolutions 2675 and 2707. General Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of CENTCOM, described the seized Iranian weapons for the Houthis as 'another example of the Iranian regime's malign activities in the region' and added that the continuous supply of advanced conventional weapons by the Islamic Republic to the Houthis 'directly violates international law' and continues to undermine international maritime security and the free flow of trade. CENTCOM concluded its statement by reaffirming its commitment to working with U.S. allies and partners to counter the transfer of lethal aid from the Islamic Republic to its proxy forces in the region through all legal means, including U.S. and UN sanctions.