The Royal Navy seized a cache of anti-tank missiles from Iranian smugglers in a daring dawn raid.
A US drone spotted the rogue vessel in the Gulf of Oman, heading at high speed under cover of darkness towards civil-war-ravaged Yemen.
The Type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster gave chase and scrambled its helicopter to track the vessel darting through international waters.
The two-man skiff refused demands to heave-to and headed back towards Iranian waters.
So Marines from 42 Commando took to the Lancaster’s high-speed sea boats to intercept the smugglers.
When they boarded the vessel they found prohibited anti-tank guided missiles and medium-range ballistic missile parts hidden beneath tarpaulins.
Lancaster’s commanding officer, Cmdr Paul Irving, said: “Everyone was really excited. What a great day it was for us and what a huge team effort.”
The UN has embargoed weapons to Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Bomb disposal experts checked the haul to ensure it was safe to take aboard the Lancaster.
It included Iranian versions of Russia’s 9M133 Kornet anti-tank guided missile.
The UN has been informed and will carry out its own inspection.
One of the Navy coxswains charged with manoeuvring Lancaster’s sea boats into position for the Marines to board the smugglers, said: “It was a great buzz when the captain gave the green light.”
Another added: “The best part was chasing down the vessel and getting eyes on the packages strapped down in the skiff.”
Cmdr Irving said: “The fact we found weapons we believe were heading to Yemen is significant. We think they have previously been used to strike locations in the Gulf.
“It was a genuine team effort and they got a result they can tell their family and friends about. It’s an important result.”
The war in Yemen has spawned one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
More than 150,000 have died in the fighting, including 14,500 civilians.
