The USS John McCain is moving into position and preparing to intercept a North Korean flagged ship that is thought to be carrying weapons.

The US military has been tracking a ship since it left a North Korean port Wednesday and is believed to be headed for Singapore. The USS John McCain, a navy destroyer, will intercept the ship, Kang Nam, as soon as it leaves North Korean waters off the coast of China. The ship is believed to be carrying weapons, missile components or nuclear materials, which is in direct violation of UN Resolution 1874 which put sanctions in place against Pyongyang Friday.

According to a senior U.S. defense official. the order has not yet been officially given to confront the vessel, but the US destroyer is moving into position.

This will be the first direct military contact with North Korea since tensions started to heat up recently when the north detonated a nuclear device underground in the region in May. North Korea has also been test firing short range missiles and has threatened to declare war against any country who interferes with their weapons and nuclear development efforts.