U.S. Navy shares photographs of seized Arabian Sea weapons likely bound for Yemen
The U.S. Navy released several photographs of seized arms shipment of thousands of assault weapons, machines guns and sniper rifles hidden aboard a ship in the Arabian Sea.
The ship was bound to head for Yemen to support the country’s Houthi rebels as it is reported that Navy’s initial investigation found the vessel came from Iran, again tying the Islamic Republic to arming the Houthis despite a United Nation’s arms embargo.
The guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey, part of Navy’s 5th Fleet that discovered the ship stated that the weapons included “dozens of advanced Russian-made anti-tank guided missiles” and “thousands of Chinese Type 56 assault rifles,” as they were laid across its rear deck.
The Navy described the ship as a stateless dhow with Mideast origins, the operation involving which began on Thursday. Weapons were seen wrapped in green plastic on the deck of the stateless dhow which is believed to be a part of an illicit arm shipment in the northern regions of the Arabian Sea off Oman and Pakistan.
Iranian representatives to the United Nations in New York and Geneva have not responded or commented on the issue. In the past as well, their officials have denied allegations regarding the export of weapons to Houthis.
Similar shipments intercepted by the Navy and its allies had been bound for Houthi rebels in Yemen, U.S. officials said.