Britain Intercepts Iranian Arms in Gulf of Oman

The British navy said Thursday its forces seized Iranian anti-tank missiles and fins for ballistic missiles from a small boat in the Gulf of Oman.

Britain did not identify a destination for the arms, but the U.S. military, which said it provided “intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support” for the operation, said the seizure took place “along a route historically used to traffic weapons unlawfully to Yemen.”

It is the latest in a series of shipments intercepted by Western forces who say Iran has armed Yemen’s Houthi rebels, a charge which Iran denies.

“This seizure by HMS Lancaster and the permanent presence of the Royal Navy in the Gulf region supports our commitment to uphold international law and tackle activity that threatens peace and security around the world,” British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said in a statement.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.

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