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U.S. 5th Fleet ships seized approximately 1,400 AK-47 assault rifles and 226,600 rounds of ammunition from a stateless fishing vessel during a flag verification boarding in accordance with customary international law in the North Arabian Sea, Dec. 20. U.S. Navy patrol coastal ships USS Tempest (PC 2) and USS Typhoon (PC 5) found the weapons during a search conducted by embarked U.S. Coast Guard personnel. The illicit weapons and ammunition were later transported to guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) where they await final disposition. The stateless vessel was assessed to have originated in Iran and transited international waters along...

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran denied a report that several of its boats taunted a U.S. Navy vessel in the Persian Gulf on Thursday night, according to IRNA, Iran's official news agency. A U.S. military official told CNN Friday that the USS Typhoon, a small patrol craft, was approached by three small Iranian boats in a "taunting manner." "There has been no confrontation between Iranian boats and the U.S. [Fifth] Fleet," IRNA quoted an unnamed Iranian source as saying.

Another source: http://cbs2chicago.com/national/iran.naval.confrontation.2.697662.html The Navy says a ship encountered a small Iranian high-speed boat in the central Persian Gulf and warned it away by firing a flare. Two other similar Iranian boats in the area did not come as close. The USS Typhoon tried unsuccessfully to establish radio contact with the Iranian boat after it came within an estimated 200 yards of the Typhoon on Thursday, outside Iranian territorial waters. A Navy official says the ship then fired the flare and continued on its way without incident. The official says there were no signs any boat was armed. It was...

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Updates welcome. The story just showed up. Casus belli ?

U.S. Coast Guard Guard personnel from Law Enforcement Detachment 401 teach Djiboution servicemembers law enforcement tactics, April 25-27, 2006. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 3rd Class Bobby Northnagle. Coast Guard Detachment Trains Djiboutians U.S. Coast Guard personnel recently provided the Djiboutian Coast Guard and Navy with lessons ranging from basic boarding techniques to apprehension of non-compliant mariners. By U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Bobby Northnagle MANAMA, Bahrain, May 3, 2006 — U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment 401, based out of Mayport, Fla., recently provided training to Djibouti's navy and coast guard, April 25 -27. “[Djiboutian coast guardsmen...

U.S. Navy sailors aboard the USS Typhoon connect with Royal Netherlands support ship HNLMS Amsterdam prior to refueling. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Bobby Northnagle USS Typhoon Operates in Horn of Africa The underway period marked only the second time a Navy patrol craft has operated in and around the waters surrounding the Horn of Africa. By U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Bobby Northnagle MANAMA, Bahrain, May 1, 2006 — USS Typhoon completed a month-long operation with Combined Task Force 150, April 27, that called for the patrol craft to conduct maritime security operations alongside...