DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The British navy seized anti-tank missiles and fins for ballistic missile assemblies throughout a raid on a small boat heading from Iran prone to Yemen, authorities stated Thursday, the most recent such seizure within the Gulf of Oman.

The seizure by the Royal Navy comes after different seizures by French and U.S. forces within the area as Western powers enhance their stress on Iran, because it now enriches uranium nearer than ever to weapons-grade ranges. It additionally comes as regional and worldwide powers attempt to discover an finish to the yearslong battle gripping Yemen, the Arab world’s poorest nation, and as Iran arms Russia in its battle on Ukraine.

The raid passed off Feb. 23 after an American plane detected a small boat heading from Iran, with a helicopter from the Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster giving chase to the vessel, the British Protection Ministry stated. The boat tried to reenter Iranian territorial water, however was stopped earlier than it might.

Contained in the boat, British troops discovered Russian 9M133 Kornet anti-tank guided missiles, recognized in Iran as “Dehlavieh,” the U.S. Navy’s Mideast-based fifth Fleet and the British navy stated. These weapons have been seen in different seizures suspected to be from Iran and certain for Yemen.

Additionally on board have been small fins that the U.S. Navy recognized as jet vanes for medium-range ballistic missiles. Iranian elements have helped construct a missile arsenal for Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who’ve held the nation’s capital, Sanaa, since 2014.

A United Nations decision bans arms transfers to Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. Tehran lengthy has denied arming the rebels, regardless of bodily proof, quite a few seizures and specialists tying the weapons again to Iran.

“This seizure by HMS Lancaster and the everlasting presence of the Royal Navy within the Gulf area helps our dedication to uphold worldwide legislation and deal with exercise that threatens peace and safety all over the world,” British Protection Secretary Ben Wallace stated.

Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of the American fifth Fleet, stated in a press release that this was the “seventh unlawful weapon or drug interdiction within the final three months and one more instance of Iran’s growing malign maritime exercise throughout the area.”

Iranian state media didn’t instantly acknowledge the seizure. Iran’s mission to the United Nations didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

The battle in Yemen has deteriorated largely right into a stalemate and spawned one of many world’s worst humanitarian crises. Nevertheless, Saudi-led airstrikes haven’t been recorded in Yemen for the reason that kingdom started a cease-fire on the finish of March 2022, in accordance with the Yemen Knowledge Venture.

That cease-fire expired in October regardless of diplomatic efforts to resume it. That has led to fears the battle might once more escalate. Greater than 150,000 individuals have been killed in Yemen through the preventing, together with over 14,500 civilians.

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Comply with Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.