WASHINGTON (JTA) — U.S. troops boarded an Iranian-owned ship out of suspicions that it was ferrying arms destined for Hamas.
The Cypriot-flagged ship headed for an Egyptian port was boarded in the Red Sea last weekend, the Associated Press and CBS reported in recent days.
It is not yet clear whether the arms were headed for Hamas, the terrorist group that controls the Gaza Strip; according to the AP, the U.S. Navy allowed the ship to continue its journey, but asked Egyptian authorities to more closely check its cargo, which included artillery shells.
Israel unilaterally declared a cease-fire last week in its war against Hamas, based in part on a signed agreement with the United States that guaranteed American support in an effort to end arms smuggling into Gaza.
