Iranian forces boarded a ship near the UAE. The vessel potentially contained a cache of weapons.
On Thursday, armed men boarded a ship near the United Arab Emirates, and it sailed to Iranian waters. The vessel has been identified as the Honduras-flagged Hui Chuan. The BBC reports that the ship was being used as a weapons cache to arm commercial ships to fend off piracy.
Attacks on ships in the Middle East have increased in recent weeks. President Donald Trump declared a blockade on Iranian ports, and the US has attacked several vessels. Iran has responded with attacks on tankers linked to US allies.
Last week, another weapons storage ship, the Haji Alim, was hit by a drone or missile. The crew was safely rescued.
The war in Iran has disrupted energy exports from the Persian Gulf, driving up oil prices. In an effort to keep oil prices from rising too fast, President Donald Trump has emptied the strategic reserve at a record pace, with half of the oil going to foreign buyers.
In response to the US and Israeli war against Iran, Tehran seized control of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has prevented most ships linked to US allied nations from leaving the Persian Gulf.
