The US Navy SEALs conducted a daring raid last week, seizing Iranian-made missile parts and other weaponry from a ship bound for Yemen's Houthi rebels. The raid went awry, seeing two commandos go missing as they boarded the hostile ship in the tumultuous seas. Images released by the US military analyzed by The Associated Press showed components resembling rocket motors and others previously seized. The US military believes these same weapons have been used by the Houthis to threaten and attack international merchant ships in the Red Sea.

The US Navy ultimately sank the ship carrying the weapons and detained the 14 crew members. A United Nations resolution prohibits arms transfers to the Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran. Yet, Tehran has long denied supplying the rebels with weapons, despite physical evidence, numerous seizures, and experts tying the weapons back to Iran. The raids, retaliatory strikes, and ongoing attacks in the Middle East have raised tensions across the region, with the US launching strikes against Houthi positions, followed by further attacks by the Houthis in the Gulf of Aden.

These attacks have fueled fears that Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza could escalate into a broader regional conflict. The US is expected to redesignate the Houthis as global terrorists in the wake of these escalations. The situation is complex, with Iran launching multi-national strikes across Iraq, Syria, and Pakistan, in addition to supporting the Houthi rebels. This ever-evolving situation has enflamed tensions in the already volatile Middle East, posing risks to global trade in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.