A US naval vessel on Monday intercepted a shipment of weapons that was believed to be headed to Yemen. The shipment, which consisted of over 2,000 Iranian-made assault rifles, was intercepted in international waters in the Gulf of Oman. According to the statement, the weapons were being smuggled from Iran to the Houthis, a group that has been engaged in a civil war in Yemen for several years.
The US has been a significant player in the ongoing conflict in Yemen, providing support to a coalition of nations led by Saudi Arabia that is fighting the Houthis. The US has also imposed economic sanctions on Iran, which is believed to be providing support to the Houthis. The interception of this weapons shipment is likely to be seen as further evidence of Iranian involvement in the conflict, and could lead to additional sanctions or other actions against the Iranian government.
“The illegal flow of weapons from Iran through international waterways has a destabilizing effect on the region,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, the commander of US Central Command.
