British navy seizes 'anti-tank weapons, ballistic missile components' in Gulf of Oman

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) – British navy “seized anti-tank weapons and ballistic missile components being smuggled” in the Gulf of Oman, Royal Navy said in a statement Thursday.

The raid on Feb. 23 came after a high-speed boat chase from Royal Marines and scrambling with a helicopter as the vessel was in international waters, after a tip off from US army aircraft.

“The smugglers tried to evade the ever-present 815 Naval Air Squadron helicopter and ignored every radio call demanding them to stop – instead steering their craft towards Iranian territorial waters,” the statement said.

“They were intercepted by the British frigate before they could do so.”

The navy said naval soldiers boarding the vessel found a number of packages.

The Royal Marines boarding team who searched the suspect craft found a number of packages and found “Iranian versions of Russian 9M133 Kornet anti-tank guided missiles – known in Iran as ‘Dehlavieh’ – and medium-range ballistic missile components” on board, according to the statement.

“The chase was sparked when an American drone spotted the skiff moving at speed through international waters in the darkness.”

British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the interdiction – and the permanent presence of the Royal Navy in the Gulf region – “supports our commitment to uphold international law and tackle activity that threatens peace and security around the world.”

Royal Navy did not specify the destination of the vessel.