Trophy weapons for Ukraine: US transfers seized Iranian arms to support Kyiv

The U.S. government has handed over weapons seized from the Iranian regime to Ukrainian forces, the U.S. Central Command reported.
The weapons were seized during inspections of ships delivering cargo from Iran to Yemen.
According to Central Command, Washington handed over the following weapons: over 5,000 AK-47 assault rifles, machine guns, sniper rifles, RPG-7 hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers, over 500,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition. The weapons were handed over to Ukraine on April 4. "These munitions were originally seized by U.S. Central Command and partner naval forces from four separate transiting stateless vessels between May 22, 2021 to Feb. 15 2023. The munitions were being transferred from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps to the Houthis in Yemen in violation of a United Nations Security Council resolution", the message reads.
The Huthis have been targeting vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November 2023 in attacks they say are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza -- a significant international security challenge that threatens a major shipping lane.
"Iran's support for armed groups threatens international and regional security, our forces, diplomatic personnel, and citizens in the region, as well as those of our partners. We will continue to do whatever we can to shed light on and stop Iran's destabilizing activities," Central Command said. Washington made a similar transfer to Ukraine in early October, providing 1.1 million rounds of 7.62mm ammunition that was seized from Iranian forces on the way to Yemen.
But the delivery of crucial artillery and air defense munitions to Ukraine has been held up by Republican lawmakers who have stalled a $60 billion support package in the US Congress since last year, and Kyiv's troops have had to ration ammunition amid uncertainty over when the next deliveries will arrive.