Iran, through its proxy forces in Yemen, is turning a vital international waterway into a militarized chokepoint that threatens freedom of navigation, a senior U.S. commander charged Wednesday.

In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Gen. Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Central Command, said Iran has moved advanced weaponry into Yemen, which threatens ship traffic through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.