The United States has seized thousands of rifles and nearly two dozen anti-tank missiles from Iran and transported via sea lanes.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported Tuesday that CENTCOM officials, in cooperation with international naval partners, successfully interdicted the transport of more than 3,000 rifles from Iran to Yemen.
US Central Command, in collaboration with international naval partners, seized more than 3,000 rifles, 578,000 rounds of ammunition, and 23 advanced anti-tank guided missiles originating in Iran.
(US Central Command)
Along with the rifles, authorities recovered about 600,000 rounds of ammunition and 23 anti-tank guided missiles.
The January 15 interdiction took place in the Gulf of Oman, where CENTCOM and its naval partners seized the ship’s cargo.
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The area where the illegal arms smuggling was discovered has been a historic route for trafficking.
US Central Command, in collaboration with international naval partners, seized more than 3,000 rifles, 578,000 rounds of ammunition, and 23 advanced anti-tank guided missiles originating in Iran.
(US Central Command)
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A French warship detained a suspected smuggling vessel off the coast of Yemen on January 15 and dispatched French special forces operators to board and search the vessel.
The soldiers found more than 3,000 assault rifles, 500,000 rounds of ammunition and 20 anti-tank guided missiles, according to The Wall Street Journal. The US, French and British navies have coordinated an effort to block Iran’s smuggling operations in the region.
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Iran has tried to supply the Houthi rebels in Yemen with lethal aid for months, even as the Yemeni civil war continues under a ceasefire.
Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
