Pakistani Sentenced 40 Years for Iranian Missile Smuggling Killing 2 U.S. Navy SEALs

Muhammad Pahlawan, a Pakistani national, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and Iran's weapons of mass destruction program, specifically transporting Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry to Houthi forces in Yemen. On January 11, 2024, U.S. Navy forces operating from the USS Lewis B. Puller intercepted Pahlawan's unflagged dhow in the Arabian Sea off Somalia, seizing missile components and a warhead intended for use by the Houthis. During the interdiction, Pahlawan lied to U.S. forces, instructed crew members to lie, and threatened their lives and families, while two Navy SEALs—Christopher Chambers and Nathan Gage Ingram—lost their lives. The weaponry found was consistent with that used by Houthi rebels in attacks against merchant and U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden following the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel. Evidence showed Pahlawan's operation was part of a broader smuggling network involving Iranian IRGC-linked individuals channeling lethal arms to terrorist proxies, highlighting ongoing threats to U.S. and allied interests. The conviction underscores the importance of maritime interdiction efforts in countering state-sponsored terrorism and arms smuggling.