The US Navy said on Sunday that it stopped a “stateless” ship and found on board 40 tons of fertilizer that can be used to make explosives. The ship, which was not flying the flag of any country, was traveling on a route that has been used to traffic weapons from Iran to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, according to the US 5th Fleet based in Bahrain. The interception in international waters in the Gulf of Oman occurred on Tuesday, the Navy said on Sunday.
A US guided-missile destroyer and patrol ship intercepted the vessel carrying 40 tons of urea fertilizer, a chemical compound with agricultural applications that is also known to be used as an explosive precursor. The Navy transferred the vessel, cargo and five Yemeni crewmembers to Yemen Coast Guard officials on Thursday.
The same vessel was intercepted in February when it was found to be transporting thousands of AK-47 assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launches and other weapons and believed to be making its way from Iran to the Houthis, according to the Navy.