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US Navy forces recently intercepted a fishing vessel smuggling thousands of AK-47 rifles from Iran to Yemen, the US military said on Tuesday.
The vessel, which was crewed by six Yemeni nationals, was sailing through the Gulf of Oman on January 6 when it was caught, US 5th Fleet said in a statement. A team from the patrol coastal ship USS Chinook discovered and boarded the ship with support from fellow Cyclone-class patrol ship USS Monsoon and the guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans. Navy forces found that the ship was carrying 2,116 AK-47 assault rifles.
The vessel was traveling along a route historically understood to be used for the transfer of lethal aid to Yemen's Houthi rebels — a violation of a UN Security Council resolution and international law, 5th Fleet said.
Iran is the main backer of the Houthis, who have fought a devastating years-long civil war against Yemen's internationally recognized government. The bloody conflict has previously been characterized by experts as a proxy war between regional foes Iran and Saudi Arabia, which leads a military coalition in support of the government.
