Washington (CNN) The US Navy says it seized hundreds of small arms including AK-47s from a boat in the Gulf of Aden on Tuesday.

The vessel, which was unflagged, was described as a dhow, a small sailboat that is common to the region. The boarding was carried out by the crew of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Jason Dunham, which was participating in a US Naval Forces Central Command operation. The dhow's crew allowed the US Navy to board upon its request.

The US Navy's 5th Fleet confirmed the interdiction in a statement issued Thursday, saying "the boarding team discovered a cache of over 1,000 AK-47 automatic rifles."

A defense official said the boarded vessel's destination was not immediately clear, though US officials have said that ships intercepted in this area in the past have been linked to Iranian efforts to support Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The US is analyzing the evidence on board to determine the boat's origin and destination, the official said.

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