MANAMA — The US Navy said Saturday it had seized one
million rounds of ammunition along with rocket fuses and propellant being
smuggled on a fishing trawler from Iran to war-torn Yemen.
The cargo was discovered on Thursday “during a flag
verification boarding”, the Bahrain-based US Fifth Fleet said in a statement,
noting it was the “second major illegal weapons seizure within a month” along
the maritime route.
“This significant interdiction clearly shows that Iran’s
unlawful transfer of lethal aid and destabilizing behavior continues,” V. Adm.
Brad Cooper said.
“US naval forces remain focused on deterring and disrupting
dangerous and irresponsible maritime activity in the region.”
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized the Yemeni capital
Sanaa in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year.
Since then, a grinding war has killed hundreds of thousands
and pushed the impoverished nation to the brink of famine.
A UN-brokered ceasefire that took effect in April brought a
sharp reduction in hostilities. The truce expired in October, though fighting
largely remains on hold.
The fishing trawler intercepted on Thursday was carrying
nearly 7,000 rocket fuses and “over 2,100km of propellant used to launch rocket
propelled grenades”, the statement said.
“The direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of weapons
to the Houthis in Yemen violates UN Security Council Resolution 2216 and
international law,” it added.
Last month the US navy said it had scuttled a boat
transporting “explosive materials” from Iran to supply the Houthis, with enough
power to fuel a dozen ballistic rockets.اضافة اعلان
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