A new report says Iran has seized a Honduras-flagged ship operating as a \u201cfloating armory\u201d in the Gulf of Oman. The BBC reports that the vessel, Hui Chuan, was carrying weapons intended for use by private security companies protecting ships from piracy, and that it was headed toward Iranian territorial waters. <\/p>\n

The ship was reportedly boarded and taken to Iranian waters after being located near the United Arab Emirates. The article also notes that similar weapons-storage ships<\/a> are typically based in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Gulf of Oman for easier access.<\/p>\n

In the wider context of rising Middle East tensions, the attack on an Indian-flagged cargo ship off Oman is mentioned, with all 14 crew members rescued. Iran is also described as issuing a rule allowing Chinese ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and U.S. Central Command leadership is cited as saying American strikes on Iran followed hundreds of attacks on U.S. troops by Iranian-backed groups. <\/p>\n