NORTH ARABIAN SEA (Dec. 21, 2021) Illicit weapons seized from a stateless fishing vessel in the North Arabian Sea are arranged for inventory aboard guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane’s (DDG 77) flight deck, Dec. 21. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Elisha Smith)
The US Navy 5th Fleet seized a large arms shipment from a stateless fishing vessel during a flag verification boarding in the North Arabian Sea, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on December 23.
The shipment, which was seized on December 20, included approximately 1,400 AK-47 assault rifles and 226,600 rounds of ammunition.
“US Navy patrol coastal ships USS Tempest (PC 2) and USS Typhoon (PC 5) found the weapons during a search conducted by embarked U.S. Coast Guard personnel. The illicit weapons and ammunition were later transported to guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) where they await final disposition,” the CENTCOM said in a press release.
According to the CENTCOM, the vessel originated in Iran and was sailing along a route used to traffic weapons to the Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen.
The vessel’s five crew members, who identified themselves as Yemeni nationals, will be returned to Yemen. However, the vessel was sunk by the US Navy.
This was not the first such operation by the US Navy 5th Fleet. In May, guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) seized dozens of advanced Russian-made anti-tank guided missiles, thousands of Chinese Type 56 assault rifles and hundreds of PKM machine guns, sniper rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers from a stateless vessel transiting the North Arabian Sea.
After assuming office in January, the Biden administration announced that the US had halted its direct support to the Saudi-led war against the Houthis in Yemen. The recent operations of the US Navy 5th Fleet in the Arabian Sea suggest otherwise, however.
fake news
Actually it might be real, I mean the rifle and rounds cargo, but the rest is undoubtedly pure bull$#it.
With all the new shiny weapons and ammunition that Saudis transfer to Yemenis non-stop, who needs a thousand of old and used ones (Not to mention the unbelievable amount of weapons which was in Yemen prior to foreign invasion)?
Probably former fishers, now pirates in the horn of Africa. Notice the “off Yemen coast” remark, Bab al-Mandeb is not a wide body of water. Technically anywhere inside it (or wherever that north Arabian sea is*) is “off Yemeni coast”.
After almost 7 years, we’re still waiting for confiscation of a real “Iranian-smuggled weapons” like the drones or missiles which uninterruptedly go up Saudis’ bottoms or even the “Iranian-made components” which they say Yemenis use in their weapons, and because I’m so generous I’m willing to include even the Iranian-made wires and cables (which they made sure to publish enlarged images of them allegedly used in Yemeni remote-controlled boats, while totally ignoring the American, Chinese or wherever-else made parts like cameras, computer and communication parts or even the boats themselves!).
* Oh, Now I remember that sometimes the Sea of Makran -or the Oman sea- is called the Arabian sea. Guess where would the north Arabian sea be? Hint: It’s not “off Yemeni coast” by any standard!.
The Houthis have capture more weapons than they need off the Saudi mercs that run rather than fight so they don’t need these . These are probably US resupply for their ISIS units .
CIA will give them to isis.
Iran should have sent escort ships and subs to protect it
What a joke!