The U.S. Navy intercepted a large Iranian weapons shipment March 28 likely heading to war-torn Yemen.
The shipment was probably bound for Houthi rebels in Yemen in their fight against Saudi-led coalition backed by the U.S. It was the third Iranian weapons shipment that’s been intercepted since February, according to the U.S. 5th Fleet.
The shipment included 1,500 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 200 rocket-propelled grenade launchers and 21 .50-caliber machine guns.
“This seizure is the latest in a string of illicit weapons shipments assessed by the U.S. to have originated in Iran that were seized in the region by naval forces,” the U.S. 5th Fleet said in a statement Monday.
The shipment included 1,500 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 200 rocket-propelled grenade launchers and 21 .50-caliber machine guns.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the seizure illustrates Iran’s support for the Houthis in Yemen’s civil war, but he dodged questions on whether it violates the nuclear deal with Iran.
“Well, I think one thing that this illustrates is the commitment on the part of the United States to countering Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region,” Earnest said at a press briefing.
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