Israel Matzav

US Naval forces seeking Iranian arms boarded cargo ship in Red Sea

US Naval forces from the USS Sterett (pictured) in the Red Sea boarded a cargo ship they thought was delivering Iranian arms to Houthi rebels in Yemen earlier this month (Hat Tip: MFS - The Other News).

According to the Wall Street Journal:

U.S. naval forces in the Red Sea this month boarded a freighter suspected of delivering Iranian weapons to Houthi rebels in Yemen, American military officials said.

The destroyer USS Sterett’s search of the Panamanian-flagged Saisaban on April 1 came up empty. But the officials said it marked the U.S. Navy’s first boarding operation in an expanding campaign to ensure Iran doesn’t supply game-changing weapons such as surface-to-air missiles that would threaten Saudi-led airstrikes on the Houthis.

COMMENTARY: Publicized USN interdiction efforts such as these serve to put Iran on notice that potential arms deliveries by sea in support of Ansarullah will actively be pursued.

Ship details for Panamanian-flagged Saisaban cargo ship... (continue reading here).

Because after all, if the sanctions go away, someone will still have to try to stop Iranian arms smuggling....

Labels: Iran, Iran sanctions regime, US Navy, weapons smuggling, Yemen

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:13 PM