The US Navy announced on Saturday the seizure of a million cartridges as well as rocket launchers smuggled according to it on a trawler from Iran to Yemen at war.
The cargo was discovered on Thursday “
during a flag check boarding
,” the Bahrain-based U.S. 5th Fleet said in a statement, noting that it was “
the second major illegal weapons seizure in one year. months
" on this sea route.
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In a statement, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper accused Iran of "
illegal transfer of lethal aid
" and of having "
destabilizing behavior
".
“
US naval forces are working to prevent and disrupt dangerous and irresponsible maritime activity in the region
,” he added.
Iran admits supporting Houthi rebels in Yemen but denies supplying them with weapons.
The fishing trawler intercepted on Thursday was carrying nearly 7,000 rocket launchers and “
thrusters used to launch RPG rockets
,” according to the statement.
In November, the US Navy said it intercepted a boat coming from Iran carrying for Yemeni rebels "
materials that can be used to make missile fuel and explosives
".
Since 2014, the conflict in Yemen has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and plunged the country into one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
A UN-brokered truce in April gave the population respite for six months, but when it expired in October, the warring parties failed to reach an agreement to extend it.