Click to see full-size image. (U.S. Army photo)
On February 1, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it had supported a maritime interdiction that resulted in the seizure by “partner naval forces” of weapons that originated in Iran.
In a statement, the command said that the interdiction took place in the Gulf of Oman on January 15, along routes historically used to traffic weapons unlawfully to Yemen.
Click to see full-size image. (U.S. Army photo)
The seized weapons included more than 3,000 assault rifles, 578,000 rounds of ammunition and 23 advanced anti-tank guided missiles, which were identified as Soviet-made Konkurs or the Iranian copy Tosan-1.
“CENTCOM and partner naval forces regularly conduct regional maritime security operations,” the statement reads. “The seizure is one of four significant illicit cargo interdictions over the past two months that have prevented more than 5,000 weapons and 1.6 million rounds of ammunition from reaching Yemen.”
CENTCOM naval forces intercepted a vessel carrying more than 2,100 assault rifles in the Gulf of Oman in the first week of January. At the time, the command said that the vessel was sailing on a route historically used to traffic “illicit cargo” to the Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen.
In a separate statement from February 1, CENTCOM said that its commander, General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, called the Yemeni Chief of Defense Lieutenant General Saghir Hamood Bin Aziz to congratulate him on the recent successful Yemeni interdiction of 100 drone engines bound for the Houthis.
“These types of interdictions are critical for regional security and stability,” said Colonel Joe Buccino, CENTCOM spokesperson.
The drone engines were reportedly seized at a crossing in the eastern Yemeni province of al-Mahrah, on the border with Oman, late in January.
The U.S. says that its military operations around Yemen are in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216, which bans the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of weapons to the Houthis. Washington has been using the resolution to provide indirect support to the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
