(UPI) Yemen has intercepted an Iranian ship loaded with heavy weapons believed to have been destined for al-Houthi rebels in Yemen, sources told Bikyamasr.com. Al-Watan, a Kuwait newspaper, reported the ship carried mortar launchers, anti-armor shells and other weapons. The al-Houthi rebels, a group of Shiite dissidents, have refused to recognize the Yemen central government's authority and call for a return to a Shiite Islamic governing system similar to Iran's. The al-Houthi rebels have in recent months extended their hold in three northern Yemen provinces: Sa'ada, al-Jawf and Hajjah. U.S. officials have said Iran could be attempting to rely on al-Houthi rebels to advance its cause in the region. If Iran won Yemen as an ally, it would have direct access to the Red Sea, which is near the Suez Canal and an international oil route as well as Israel.
2012-02-17 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive