JAKARTA - The United States Navy announced it had seized large quantities of rifles and ammunition from a fishing vessel, most likely bound for war-torn Yemen from Iran.
A US Navy patrol vessel conducted operations against fishing vessels sailing in the North Arabian Sea, off the coasts of Oman and Pakistan, the US 5th Fleet said in a statement Thursday, citing Yenisafak Dec. 23.
According to the statement, five Yemeni sailors were found onboard with 1,400 AK-47 assault rifles and 226,600 ammunition.
The 5th Fleet, based in Bahrain, said the fishing vessel was sailing on a route used to smuggle illegal weapons into Yemen's Houthi rebels.
Iran is accused by Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies of sending weapons to the Houthis, a charge Tehran denies.
Yemen has been beset by violence and instability since 2014, when the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels seized large parts of the country, including the capital Sanaa.
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The Saudi-led coalition aiming to restore Yemen's government has exacerbated the situation, causing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with nearly 80%, or approx.
At least some 30 million people need humanitarian aid and protection, with more than 13 million in danger of starvation, according to UN estimates.
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