Israeli Army Special Forces Shayetet 13 intercept Iranian missiles shipment for the Gaza Strip 06031

a

Defence & Security News - Israel

 
 
Thursday, March 6, 2014 10:43 AM
 
Israeli Army Special Forces Shayetet 13 intercept Iranian missiles shipment for the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Army (IDF) special forces on Wednesday, March 6, 2014, intercepted a ship in the Red Sea carrying an Iranian arms shipment including missiles and rockets headed for the Gaza Strip, Israel’s military said. Israeli naval commandos from the elite Shayetet 13 unit boarded and took control of the “Klos-C” merchant ship, sailing under the Panama flag, at around 5 a.m. They encountered no resistance and there were no casualties reported on either side.
     
Israeli Army (IDF) special forces on Wednesday, March 6, 2014, intercepted a ship in the Red Sea carrying an Iranian arms shipment including missiles and rockets headed for the Gaza Strip, Israel’s military said. Israeli naval commandos from the elite Shayetet 13 unit boarded and took control of the “Klos-C” merchant ship, sailing under the Panama flag, at around 5 a.m. They encountered no resistance and there were no casualties reported on either side.
Israeli soldiers inspect a missile found on board Klos-C in a commando operation Wednesday morning.

     

Iran has already provided the anti-Israel terrorist group Hezbollah tens of thousands of missiles in southern Lebanon despite the presence of United Nations peacekeepers there, say Israeli military analysts.

This shipment intercepted by Israeli naval commandos Wednesday in the Red Sea, more than 1,600 km from Israel, was carrying Syrian-made M-302 rockets with a range of up to 125 miles and would have significantly improved the capabilities of Gaza terrorists to put nearly all of Israel in their range.

State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki told reporters that the U.S. and Israel “closely coordinated” and “had routine communications” on the weapons seizure through “intelligence and military channels, as well as through our national security advisers.”

According to initial information, the shipment originated in Syria. The missiles were then taken aboard planes to Iran, and then made their way on the ship to Sudan. The missiles were hidden with sacks of cement.

"The IDF will continue to take action against the regional arms race that Iran is leading in order to set fire to the region, and will use all of the capabilities it possesses to secure the safety of the citizens of Israel,” the Spokesman added.