Military

US Warships Seize Explosives Bound From Iran to Houthi Rebels

November 15, 2022Carl Prine
On Nov. 9, 2022, the guided-missile destroyer The Sullivans (DDG 68) and patrol coastal ship Hurricane (PC 3) sail in the background as sailors inventory a large quantity of urea fertilizer and ammonium perchlorate discovered on board a fishing vessel intercepted in the Gulf of Oman the previous day. US Navy photo by Sonar Technician (Surface) 1st Class Kevin Frus.

On Nov. 9, 2022, the guided-missile destroyer The Sullivans (DDG 68) and patrol coastal ship Hurricane (PC 3) sail in the background as sailors inventory a large quantity of urea fertilizer and ammonium perchlorate discovered on board a fishing vessel intercepted in the Gulf of Oman the previous day. US Navy photo by Sonar Technician (Surface) 1st Class Kevin Frus.

A pair of US warships last week interdicted smugglers in the Gulf of Oman carrying explosives from Iran to Houthi rebels in Yemen, according to 5th Fleet officials.

“This was a massive amount of explosive material, enough to fuel more than a dozen medium-range ballistic missiles depending on the size,” said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of US Naval Forces Central Command and the 5th Fleet, in a statement emailed to Coffee or Die Magazine. “The unlawful transfer of lethal aid from Iran does not go unnoticed. It is irresponsible, dangerous and leads to violence and instability across the Middle East.”

The seizure of 70 tons of ammonium perchlorate Tuesday, Nov. 8, by the US Navy’s guided-missile destroyer The Sullivans and the Coast Guard cutter John Scheuerman marked the first time the 5th Fleet had interdicted the powerful oxidizer, which is often used to make explosives and rocket fuel.

The morning search also uncovered 100 tons of urea fertilizer, a compound with dual uses for agriculture and, in its nitrate form, explosives.

Houthi rebels

On Nov. 9, 2022, sailors from guided-missile destroyer The Sullivans inventory a large quantity of urea fertilizer and ammonium perchlorate discovered on a fishing vessel intercepted by US forces while transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman the previous day. US Navy photo by Sonar Technician (Surface) 1st Class Kevin Frus.

It’s not the first time US warships have seized contraband urea.

On Jan. 18, the guided-missile destroyer Cole and patrol coastal ship Chinook confiscated 40 tons of the fertilizer off a fishing boat in the Gulf of Oman that previously had been caught trafficking weapons to Somalia.

The fishing boat boarded on Nov. 8 also drew the patrol coastal ship Hurricane and Navy explosive ordnance disposal technicians from the 5th Fleet’s Task Force 56. Navy officials said that after cataloging the explosive materials for five days, US forces sank the fishing boat because it had become “a hazard to navigation for commercial shipping.”

US 5th Fleet spokesperson Cmdr. Tim Hawkins told Coffee or Die the boarding party found no small arms or narcotics on board the fishing boat. Both are also routinely smuggled in the Gulf of Oman.

Houthi rebels

In the Gulf of Oman, US forces approach a fishing vessel transiting international waters Nov. 8, 2022. Officials said it was carrying explosive material bound from Iran for Yemen. US Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Kelly Harris.

Hawkins added that the cargo of explosive material and precursor fertilizer went down with the vessel.

On Tuesday in the Gulf of Aden, the crew of The Sullivans repatriated four Yemeni mariners from the fishing boat to the Yemen Coast Guard.

All transfers of weapons, money, and explosives to Iran-backed Houthi rebels violate United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216.

“Alongside our partner forces, CENTCOM is committed to security and stability of the region and to deterring the illegal and destabilizing flow of lethal material into the region over land, in the air, and the sea,” said Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, the commander of US Central Command, in a statement emailed to Coffee or Die.

Houthi rebels

A large quantity of urea fertilizer and ammonium perchlorate sit in a cargo compartment on board a fishing vessel intercepted by US forces while transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman, Nov. 8, 2022. US Navy photo.

Iranian state agencies and their official press outlets have remained silent about the latest smuggling interdiction by US forces in the Gulf of Oman.

But they've condemned as an "act of piracy" a Saudi-led flotilla's seizure of a Panamanian-flagged diesel oil tanker, Red Ruby, off the Yemeni port of Hudaydah last week.

The warships also prevented two tanks, Fos Energy and Princess Halimah, from entering the port, Iranian officials said.

The Houthi movement's Ansar Allah press office also has not mentioned the latest seizure in the Gulf of Oman, instead concentrating fire on the US ambassador's Wednesday visit to Yemen's eastern Hadharmout Governorate.

"Countries such as the United States, which funds and supports the aggression on Yemen, can never think of reconciling with the Yemeni people," an Ansar Allah statement read. "The Yemeni people strongly reject any US actions toward Yemen, whether declared or undeclared."

Read Next: Biden Threatens North Korea, War Games Continue in Philippine Sea

Carl Prine
Carl Prine

Carl Prine is a former senior editor at Coffee or Die Magazine. He has worked at Navy Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune, and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He served in the Marine Corps and the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. His awards include the Joseph Galloway Award for Distinguished Reporting on the military, a first prize from Investigative Reporters & Editors, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
father's day
Father’s Day Gift Guide: Don’t Disappoint Your Dad … Again

It’s less than two weeks until Father’s Day, and last-minute gifts for Dad are harder to come by tha...

space force
Air Force Picks Colorado For More Space Force Missions

The Air Force announced the permanent location for many more U.S. Space Force units Wednesday — and ...

Curtis LeMay
Curtis LeMay: The World War II General Who Firebombed Japan

Who exactly was Gen. Curtis LeMay? And how did he become the commander who razed more than 60 Japanese cities during World War II?

eric smith marine corps commandant nominee
Highly Decorated Marine Officer Nominated To Be Next Commandant

President Joe Biden has nominated a highly decorated Marine officer who has been involved in the transformation of the force to be the next Marine Corps commandant.

USS Arizona
Profile of a Ship: USS Arizona

When the USS Arizona sank, it took 1,177 crew members with it. Today it remains beneath the water as a memorial to all those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor.

b1 bombers bosnia
US Bombers Fly Over Bosnia in Sign of Support Amid Continued Secessionist Threats

A pair of U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers flew low over Sarajevo and several other Bosnian cities...

SR-71 Blackbird
SR-71 Blackbird: The Spy Plane That Could Outrun Missiles

Lockheed Martin’s SR-71 Blackbird was a government secret for years. Now retired, a newer version plans to take its place.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
  • Request a Correction
  • Write for Us
  • General Inquiries
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved