Iran Warns U.S. over Potential Targeting of Cargo Ships in the Middle East
Iran issued a warning to the United States on Sunday regarding the potential targeting of two cargo ships in the Middle East. The Behshad and Saviz ships, long suspected of serving as a forwarding operating base for Iranian commandos, are believed to be the focus of this warning. The statement from Iran comes amidst increasing tensions in the region following a series of airstrikes launched by the U.S. and the United Kingdom against Yemen's Houthi rebels.
The recent U.S. strikes in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen targeting militias supported by Iran appear to have unsettled Tehran. These strikes were carried out as a retaliatory campaign for the killing of three U.S. soldiers and the injuring of several others in Jordan. The underlying cause of these events can be traced back to Israel's conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which has heightened tensions across the wider Middle East and sparked concerns about a potential regional conflict.
The airstrikes in Yemen, which took place overnight on Sunday, targeted six provinces held by the Houthi rebels. The U.S. described hitting underground missile arsenals, launch sites, and rebel-operated helicopters. The Houthi military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, stated that these attacks would not discourage Yemeni forces and the nation from supporting Palestinians in the face of what they perceive as Zionist occupation and crimes. Saree further warned that the aggressors' airstrikes would not go unanswered.
Following the airstrikes, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin issued a warning to the Houthis, stating that there would be further consequences if they did not cease their illegal attacks on international shipping and naval vessels. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron echoed this sentiment, stating that the Houthi attacks must stop.
The Behshad and Saviz, registered as commercial cargo ships, have been the subject of intense scrutiny. The U.S. Treasury has sanctioned the Tehran-based company that owns these ships, considering it a front for the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines. Suspected of serving as spy positions for Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, the Saviz was previously described by Saudi Arabia in 2017 as a maritime base and weapons transshipment point for the Guard. Images broadcasted by Saudi-owned television channels showed the vessel equipped with what appeared to be a covered machine gun on its deck.
In a recent video statement by Iran's regular army, the narrator referred to these vessels as 'floating armories.' The narrator claimed that the Behshad was aiding an Iranian mission to combat piracy in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. However, there is no public knowledge of Iran's involvement in recent campaigns against rising Somali piracy in the region following the Houthi attacks.
Just before the start of the recent U.S. airstrikes, the Behshad sailed south into the Gulf of Aden, and it is currently docked in Djibouti, near a Chinese military base. The statement from Iran ends with a warning overlaid with footage of U.S. warships and the American flag, cautioning that those engaging in terrorist activities against the Behshad or similar vessels will jeopardize international maritime routes, security, and assume global responsibility for potential future risks.
The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, based in the Middle East, did not immediately respond to the threat. Meanwhile, the Saviz, which is currently located in the Indian Ocean near areas where the U.S. accuses Iran of targeting shipping with drones, has been attacked before. In 2021, a likely limpet mine explosion caused significant damage to the ship, leading Iran to bring it back home. This incident was believed to be part of an ongoing clandestine conflict between Iran and Israel following the collapse of the Iran nuclear deal.
The situation remains tense as Iran expresses its concerns over potential targeting of its cargo ships, while the U.S. and its allies continue their campaign against militias believed to be backed by the Islamic Republic. The wider implications of these escalating tensions in the Middle East have raised fears of a regional conflict and underline the volatility of the situation.
