Report: French Forces Seize Yemen-Bound Weapons

Image copyright: US Navy [via Fox News]

The Facts

  • A Wall Street Journal report published on Wednesday says that French Special Forces last month, in coordination with the US military, intercepted a boat allegedly carrying Iranian-supplied weapons and ammunition bound for Yemen.

  • A French warship reportedly stopped a suspected smuggling ship off the Yemeni coast on Jan. 15 and, after boarding the ship, discovered more than 3k assault rifles, 500k rounds of ammunition, and 20 anti-tank guided missiles.


The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

This seizure confirms a long-standing suspicion that Iran has been sneaking arms to Yemen's Houthis in breach of the UN weapons embargo. By doing so, Tehran continues to undermine peace efforts in the country and is prolonging the conflict.

Establishment-critical narrative

Having sold countless billions of dollars worth of advanced weapons to the self-proclaimed military coalition behind the brutal war, the West lacks any credibility when it accuses Iran of foreign meddling. Though they blame Tehran for the conflict and the subsequent humanitarian crisis, it's ultimately the Western nations that are partnering with a coalition of war criminals.


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