...Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979...to Yemen
...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of...
The incident took place in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday "during a flag verification boarding, according to a statement by the US 5th Fleet, based in Bahrain, adding that it was the fleet’s "second major illegal weapons seizure within a month."
"This significant interdiction clearly shows that Iran’s unlawful transfer of lethal aid and destabilizing behavior continues," Vice Admiral Brad Cooper said, affirming Washington’s commitment to "deterring and disrupting dangerous and irresponsible maritime activity in the region."
Over one million rounds of ammunition were confiscated during the search, with the fishing trawler being seized along a route infamously used to smuggle weapons to the Iran's Houthi sock puppets
...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the
Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The legitimate Yemeni government has accused the them of having ties to the Iranian government. Honest they did. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is
God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the JewsThey like shooting off... ummm... missiles that they would have us believe they make at home in their basements. On the plus side, they did murder Ali Abdullah Saleh, which was the only way the country was ever going to be rid of him...
rebels in Yemen.
Iran has not issued any comments about the incident.
The vessel was carrying nearly 7,000 proximity fuses for rockets and more than 2,100 kilograms of propellant, which is used in the launching of rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).
"The direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of weapons to the Houthis in Yemen violates U.N. Security Council Resolution 2216 and international law," the US Navy statement continued.
The resolution imposed "sanctions on individuals undermining the stability of Yemen ... particularly the Houthis" and called on them to "immediately and unconditionally end violence and refrain from further unilateral actions that threatened the political transition."
In January, the US Navy seized a "stateless" vessel transiting from Iran in the Gulf of Oman carrying kabooms. The ship was also stopped along the same route used to smuggle weapons to the Houthis in Yemen.