An American Navy ship has seized thousands of weapons sent from Iran and likely intended for Houthi rebels in Yemen,
Fox News reports.
The event took place in the Arabian Sea on March 28, according to the Pentagon and was the third such incident in recent weeks.
The Iranian government, led by Shia Muslims, is supporting the Houthis, who also are Shia, in their fight against a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, which is supported by the United States.
The ship had 1,500 AK-47 rifles, 200 rocket-propelled grenade launchers and 21 .50-caliber machine guns as part of its illegal cargo, reports
The Investigative Project on Terrorism.
The crew was released after the weapons were seized because of current rules of engagement.
"You have to find a country willing to prosecute," a U.S. official told Fox News.
The shipment is the latest in a series of provocative moves by Iran, including
testing missiles with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written on them in Hebrew.
Iran warned the United States on Monday to stay out of its missile program.
"The White House should know that defense capacities and missile power, specially at the present juncture where plots and threats are galore, is among the Iranian nation's red lines ... and we don’t allow anyone to violate it," Deputy Chief of Staff Brig-Gen Maassoud Jazzayeri said.
© 2021 Newsmax. All rights reserved.