Coalition forces in Yemen foil weapon smuggling attempt by Houthis

The Navy said Wednesday that the vessel was stopped in worldwide waters last Friday, and that the crew said the vessel was bound for Somalia.

The spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition striking Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen denies it launched airstrikes that hit a wedding party.

Most of the weapons were dumped into the sea, though a few were retained for further analysis by sailors aboard the American warship.

The weapons seizure took place early afternoon on Saturday, about 240 kilometers (150 miles) southeast of the Omani port of Salalah, according to a coalition statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.

Saudi Arabia and its coalition allies fear that Iran is actively providing aid to the Yemeni rebels, known as Houthis, as a way to gain a foothold on the Arabian Peninsula.

The coalition has long accused Iran of arming the Houthis, who seized control of Yemen starting in September past year, claiming they were out to fight corruption and to force Hadi to bring them into the government. The U.S.is providing logistical support to the coalition.

Direct USA involvement in the war also risks making this huge civilian toll America’s problem, with Rep. Ted Lieu (D – CA), a former Air Force judge advocate general, pressing Gen. Joseph Dunford on whether the Pentagon is keeping track of the civilian toll in airstrikes they are facilitating, adding that at this point it’s clear that the Saudi-led coalition is either “grossly negligent or intentionally targeting civilians”.

The ship was registered to an Iranian named Hogan Mohammed Hout.

Saudi military officials could not be reached for comment, and it was not possible to reconcile the Saudi and American accounts.

It aims to restore to power President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s government, forced out by the Houthis, and contain what Gulf Arab states see as Tehran’s growing influence in their backyard.

There was no immediate comment from Iran.

The United Nations says at least 2,355 civilians have been killed in Yemen’s fighting since March.