US Navy seizes 1,400 AK-47 rifles from 'stateless vessel' allegedly bound for Yemen rebels

The United States Navy 5th Fleet ships on December 20 seized about 1,400 AK-47 rifles and at least 226,000 rounds of ammunition from a stateless fishing vessel during a flag verification boarding following customary international law in the North Arabian Sea, US Naval Forces Central Command confirmed through a press release on Wednesday. US Navy patrol coastal ships USS Tempest (PC 2) and USS Typhoon (PC 5) found the weapons during a search conducted by embarked US Coast Guard personnel. The illicit weapons and ammunition were later transported to the guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) where they await final disposition, the press release mentioned.

Meanwhile, the US Navy informed that the five crew members of the vessel identified themselves to be Yemeni nationals. This has raised concerns about the alleged transportation of the shipment by Iran to Houthi rebels in Yemen via the Arabian Sea. However, the Yemenis will be returned to Yemen, US Naval command informed. On Monday, "after removing the crew and illicit cargo, US naval forces determined the stateless vessel was a hazard to navigation for commercial shipping and sank it," the US Central Command said in a statement.

The ship 'originated in Iran': US Navy

Although described as a "stateless vessel", the US Navy personnel noted that initial findings, citing undisclosed findings, suggested that the ship had "originated in Iran." "The stateless vessel was assessed to have originated in Iran and transited international waters along a route historically used to traffic weapons unlawfully to the Houthis in Yemen. The direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of weapons to the Houthis violates UN Security Council Resolutions and US sanctions," the US Navy said.

The current interception of weapon consignment comes after the US Navy in December seized Iranian weapons in the Arabian Sea. As per reports, the fleet seized 171 surface-to-air missiles and some 1.1 million barrels of Iranian petrol products from an unidentified vessel. The vessel was allegedly destined for Houthi rebels in Yemen.

In another major seizure, USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) between February 11 and 12 confiscated a cache of weapons, including thousands of AK-47 style assault rifles and light machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and heavy sniper rifles.

"US naval forces regularly perform maritime security operations in the Middle East to ensure the free flow of legitimate trade and to disrupt the transport of illicit cargo that often funds terrorism and other unlawful activity. US Navy warships operating in the US 5th Fleet region have seized approximately 8,700 illicit weapons in 2021," the press statement added.

It is pertinent to mention that the seizure of weaponry and ammo comes in the wake of the simmering Yemen-Houthi conflict, which began in September 2014. The hostilities by the rebel group began after they toppled President Abed Rabbi Mansour Hadi's government and formed a Supreme Political Council along with its allied forces supported by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Iran has been repeatedly accused by Yemen and Saudi Arabia of backing the Houthis. However, Iran has downplayed or refuted such comments over time. A series of strikes and counterstrikes since 2015 has killed thousands of civilians and pushed Yemen to the edge of famine and dire humanitarian crisis. The shaky ceasefire to end Yemen civil war has also remained the debris of truce breaches and sporadic military escalation by both sides.

(Image: @USNavy/Twitter)