The U.S. Navy seized thousands of guns and several tons of ammunition from suspected Iranian smugglers in the Middle East.
The American Armed Forces are contemplating dispatching the arms they took in the Gulf of Oman to Ukraine. The weapons consist of 5,000 assault rifles, 1.6 million rounds of ammunition, some anti-tank missiles, and in excess of 7,000 proximity fuses, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. This potential new supply of military aid comes at a time when the Western allies of Ukraine are becoming increasingly concerned about the cost of ammunition.
On Monday, Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO Secretary-General said, "The war in Ukraine is consuming an enormous amount of munitions and depleting allied stockpiles. The current rate of Ukraines ammunition expenditure is many times higher than our current rate of production. This puts our defense industries under strain."
In a series of operations in the Gulf of Oman, the U.S., and allied navies have confiscated arms that Iran was attempting to smuggle to Houthi rebels in Yemen.
In early January, the U.S. Navy intercepted a boat suspected of smuggling and confiscated 2,000 assault rifles. Later that month, a joint operation between French special forces and the U.S. Navy yielded 3,000 more of the same type of weapon.
The United States Navy regularly monitors the most commonly used smuggling paths in the Gulf of Oman. Iranian ships smuggling arms to Yemen have to travel eastward across the gulf before going south to Yemen.
In accordance with international law and the regulations of the U.N. Security Council, it is prohibited to directly or indirectly provide, sell, or transfer weapons to Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Ukraine has sought greater assistance as Russia resumes its military offensive. Almost at the first anniversary of the invasion, the U.S. supplied billions of dollars worth of weapons and other help to Ukraine in the midst of the year-long battle.
The Biden White House has promised to sustain support for Ukraine for "as long as it takes."
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