The seizure was conducted on February 12 as a Dhow boat attempted to smuggle the weapons in the southern Red Sea.

This comes after the Houthis threatened that it would continue attacking Israel and boats traversing the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden if the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip collapses.

Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023, the Houthis have emerged as a major threat to maritime shipping after targeting liners, claiming this is in solidarity with the Gazan "resistance" against Israel.