Posted on 11/16/2022 5:06:38 AM PST by blueplum
US Navy forces recently seized a "massive amount" of explosive material used to fuel ballistic missiles from a fishing boat sailing from Iran to Yemen, the service said on Tuesday.
The US 5th Fleet intercepted the vessel — and its four Yemeni crewmembers — crossing international waters in the Gulf of Oman on November 8, and a search of the ship led to the discovery of over 70 tons of ....
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The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet intercepted a fishing vessel attempting to smuggle a “massive amount” of explosive material from Iran to Yemen.
U.S. Coast Guard’s USCGC John Scheuerman (WPC 1146) and guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) interdicted the vessel as it transited international waters in the Gulf of Oman on November 8.
A weeklong search of the vessel assisted by Navy explosive ordnance disposal technicians from the USS Hurricane (PC 3) uncovered more than 70 tons of ammonium perchlorate, a powerful oxidizer commonly used to make rocket and missile fuel as well as explosives. The Navy said it’s the 5th Fleet’s first-ever interdiction of the material.
The search also found more than 100 tons of urea fertilizer, which is also known for use in explosives.
“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, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces. “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 vessel and its four Yemeni crew members were intercepted while transiting from Iran along a route historically used to traffic weapons to the Houthis in Yemen in violation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2216 and international law, the Navy said.
U.S. forces sank the fishing vessel November 13 because it was a hazard to navigation for commercial shipping. The four crewmembers were transferred to the Yemen Coast Guard at sea in the Gulf of Aden by The Sullivans.
U.S. 5th Fleet previously seized 40 tons of urea fertilizer back in January when guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) and patrol coastal ship USS Chinook (PC 9) interdicted a another fishing vessel in the Gulf of Oman that had attempted to smuggle illicit weapons off the coast of Somalia months earlier.
“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, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commander.
The 5th Fleet operating area includes 21 countries, the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb and Suez Canal.
Guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) and patrol coastal ship USS 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 by U.S. naval forces while transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman, Nov. 9. (Photo by Sonar Technician (Surface) 1st Class Kevin Frus)
Iran? Not on any list controlled by the Dems.
I smell EMP...read One Second After...
Is 46% nitrogen urea truly usable as an explosive?
It’ll work for ANFO, but it’s bulky and low velocity/low brisance.
Useful in some mining applications where cost is more important than speed. It can heave up a big crater, etc.
Not what you would use to cut a steel bridge beam etc. For that, you want something like C-4 formed into a linear shaped charge.
It’ll work for a truck bomb, think OKC. You just need a high velocity kicker charge, such as a stick of dynamite in the middle. Or sticks. It takes a good kick to cause a high-order ANFO detonation, and not just a low-order flash and boom and waste of material.
Gaslighting….The moronic navy found fertilizer… in bags. There’s a worldwide shortage of it.
They don’t have teamsters unions
I don’t know, but ammonium nitrate fertilizer sure is. Look up the Beirut explosion. It registered as a seismic event.
Those sailors are dressed like soldiers. Sailors should look like navy and not like a green bush. Moronic. And they are sure well fed.
yup, SinkEx...
By ourselves, on our say-so.
Sort of like Katie Hobbs running her own election, “finding” ballots, and declaring herself winner.
Got it.
I’m not cheerleading for Iran, I’m just pointing out the obvious discrepancy of the USA “legally” selling billions in explosives to Saudi to fire at Yemen in that civil war, while at the same time stopping Iranian ships trying to do similar for their faction in that civil war.
“It’s good to be king.”
While it lasts.
Sorry, tried to keep a straight face...
Over 70 tons of fuel
That’s one heck of a fishing boat!
ammonium perchlorate - used to make that stuff for “experiments” 65 years ago.
If you were at all familiar with the modern U.S. military, you would know that the USN has a variety of issued uniforms that they wear to meet the tactical conditions.
If you had ever worked in a multi-national operation you would also have been able to easily pick out the American military contingent since they are usually taller and physically stronger. The US military personnel spend a lot more time in the weight room while the French and others spend more time running. Which do you think would stand them in better stead in combat?
It is even worst that this contains NITROGEN.
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