US warship heads to Yemeni waters

USS Theodore Roosevelt heads through the Arabian Sea to join fleet of about nine American vessels prepared to intercept Iranian arms shipments to Houthi rebels

The US Navy aircraft carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt is steaming towardsYemeni waters to beef up security and join other American ships that are prepared to intercept any Iranian vessels carrying weapons to the Houthi rebels.

The deployment comes after a UN Security Council resolution approved last week imposed an arms embargo on the leaders of the Iranian-backed Shia Houthi rebels. The resolution passed in a 14-0 vote with Russia abstaining.

Navy officials said on Monday that the Roosevelt was moving through the Arabian Sea. A massive ship that carries F/A-18 fighter jets, the Roosevelt is seen more of a deterrent and show of force in the region.

The Navy has been beefing up its presence in the Gulf of Aden and the southern Arabian Sea in response to reports that a convoy of about eight Iranian ships is heading toward Yemen and possibly carrying arms for the Houthis. Navy officials said there were about nine US warships in the region, including cruisers and destroyers carrying teams that can board and search other vessels.

Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country, has been pushed to the brink of collapse by ground fighting and the Saudi-led airstrikes in support of current President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who was forced to flee to Saudi Arabia.Observers say the fighting is taking on the appearance of a proxy war between Iran, the Shia powerhouse backing the Houthis, and Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the ship movement on the record.

Saudi Arabia and several of its allies, mainly Gulf Arab countries, have been trying to drive back the rebels, who seized the capital of Sana'a in September and have overrun many other northern provinces with the help of security forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The US supports the Saudi campaign.

Josh Earnest, White House spokesman, would not comment specifically on any Navy movements in Yemeni waters, but said the US had concerns about Iran's "continued support for the Houthis".

"We have seen evidence that the Iranians are supplying weapons and other armed support to the Houthis in Yemen. That support will only contribute to greater violence in that country. These are exactly the kind of destabilising activities that we have in mind when we raise concerns about Iran's destabilising activities in the Middle East."