The US Navy recently seized a large weapons shipment from Iran that it believes was headed for Yemen, the Pentagon said Money, according to the Associated Press.
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The Navy said the dhow had 1,500 AK-47 assault rifles, 200 rocket-propelled grenade launchers and 21.50- caliber machine guns. “The dhow and its crew were allowed to depart once the illicit weapons were seized”.
The US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen sails in the Pacific Ocean in a November 2009 photo provided by the U.S. Navy.
Last week’s seizure marks the latest in a string carried about by global naval forces in the Arabian Sea alone in just the last month, notes the American Navy statement.
In earlier seizures, the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Darwin intercepted a craft February 27 that was carrying almost 2,000 Kalashnikov rifles, 100 RPG launchers, 49 PKM machine guns, 39 PKM machine gun barrels and 20 60mm mortar tubes.
A Navy Coastal Patrol Ship Intercepted an illegal arms ship from Iran bound for Yemen. A Saudi-led, US-backed coalition is fighting against the rebels and their allies after they drove the internationally-backed government from the capital Sanaa in September 2014.
“The weapons are now in USA custody awaiting final disposition”.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Monday that Iran’s support for the Houthis is an example of its “destabilizing activities” in the region, and that the weapons shipment could be raised at the United Nations Security Council.
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The Saudi-led coalition launched its offensive with the aim of restoring exiled President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi to power. A ceasefire is set to take effect on Sunday, followed by peace talks in Kuwait.
