U.S. Navy intercepts 'massive' shipment of explosive material in Gulf of Oman

Sailors from guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) inventory a large quantity of urea fertiliser and ammonium perchlorate discovered on a fishing vessel intercepted by U.S. naval forces while transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman in Arabian Sea, in this photo taken on November 9, 2022 and made provided by U.S. Navy on November 15, 2022. Kevin Frus/U.S. Navy Forces Central Command/Handout via REUTERS

The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet said on Tuesday it had intercepted a fishing vessel smuggling "massive" amounts of explosive material while transiting from Iran along a route in the Gulf of Oman that has been used to traffic weapons to Yemen's Houthi group.

U.S. forces found over 70 tonnes of ammonium perchlorate which is commonly used to make rocket and missile fuel as well as explosives, the Fifth Fleet said in a statement.