US Navy Says It Seized Alleged Iranian Ship Carrying Weapons in Arabian Sea

A US ship intercepted and seized a shipment of weapons that was reportedly being transported on an Iranian vessel in the Arabian Sea, US Department of Navy said Monday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The cargo included 1,500 AK-47s, 200 RPG grenade launchers and 21.50-caliber machine guns, the Navy Department said.

"International naval forces operating in the waters of the Arabian Sea seized a shipment of illicit arms March 28, which the United States assessed originated in Iran and was likely bound for Houthi insurgents in Yemen <…> The US Navy Coastal Patrol ship USS Sirocco, operating as part of US Naval Forces Central Command, intercepted and seized the shipment of weapons hidden aboard a small, stateless dhow," the statement reads.

According to the statement, this is the third interception of a vessel carrying illicit weapons in the region since February. The two previous vessels carrying weapons and other associated equipment were intercepted on February 27 and March 20, respectively.

Yemen has been engulfed in a military conflict between the government of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and Shiite Houthi rebels, who have been backed by army units loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Since March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition of Sunni nations has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request.