Image source: topwar.ru
The US Navy said on Tuesday it had intercepted a vessel (fishing) in waters near Iran that was smuggling a "huge" amount of explosives. An American patrol boat intercepted a schooner on which, during the inspection, more than 70 tons of ammonium perchlorate were found, which, according to representatives of the US Navy, is usually used for the production of rocket fuel, as well as explosives.
— said the commander of the Central Command of the US Navy, the 5th Fleet and the Joint Naval Forces, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper.
The fishing vessel was in transit from Iran along the route in the Gulf of Oman, which is used to supply weapons to the Yemeni Houthi group. The Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen since 2015 has repeatedly accused Tehran of supplying weapons to the group, but the Islamic Republic denies these accusations.
The command of the US Fifth Fleet reports that the crew of the intercepted vessel included four Yemenis, who, most likely, were immediately considered members of a terrorist group. In addition to ammonium perchlorate, the ship was carrying another 100 tons of urea fertilizer, which is used not only in agriculture, but also for the manufacture of explosives.
The American command decided to sink the ship with dangerous cargo. The crew members were handed over to the Yemeni Coast Guard.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has not yet commented on this incident.
In December last year, the Fifth Fleet of the US Navy intercepted another fishing vessel in the Gulf of Oman, which was carrying a shipment of rifles and ammunition. According to the US Navy department, the weapons were sent from Iran for the Yemeni Houthis.
Ammonium perchlorate (ammonium salt of perchloric acid), like other perchlorates, is a strong oxidizer and can indeed be used in solid rocket fuels and explosive components in this capacity. Urea, better known as urea, is used both in agriculture in the manufacture of nitrogen—containing fertilizers, and for the production of urea nitrate, a powerful explosive that is used in industry and as part of some improvised explosive devices.
