article_snippet.sent: U.S. Navy warships were patrolling off Yemen in search of suspicious shipping in the region, in particular any weapons shipments from Iran to the Houthi rebels they are supporting in Yemen, a U.S. Navy defense official told CNN on Thursday.
article_snippet.sent: U.S. Navy this week came across a Panamanian-registered cargo ship that had left an Iranian port, a U.S. defense official said.
article_snippet.sent: Based on the route of the ship from Iran to Yemen, U.S. Navy declared U.S. Navy a "vessel of interest" and requested permission from the captain to search U.S. Navy.
article_snippet.sent: the ship from Iran was found to be carrying cement and construction materials, a U.S. defense official said.
article_snippet.sent: the ship from Iran was sent on the ship from Iran way.
article_snippet.sent: The offshore area has been a route for weapons smuggling into Yemen, as well as Sudan and Gaza, so U.S. Navy U.S. Navy has maintained a regular surveillance presence there.
article_snippet.sent: a U.S. defense official said that increased fighting in the last several days in southern Yemen has resulted in other ships trying to dock to help civilians leave Yemen.