Israeli Navy Intercepts Alleged Weapons Smuggling Ship
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
AP
Nov. 4: The ship identified as an arms smuggling vessel seized by Israeli authorities near Cyprus is seen in the southern Israeli city of Ashdod.
Israeli defense officials say a ship the navy confiscated on Wednesday in waters off Cyprus was carrying more than 60 tons of weapons.
They say the cargo included missiles, antitank weapons and mortars. The officials said the weapons were coming from Iran and were bound for Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.
According to an official statement, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the munitions, on what the military described as an Antiguan-flagged ship boarded by a naval unit 100 miles from the Israeli coast, were earmarked for "the terrorist arena in the north," an apparent reference to Hezbollah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a separate statement, said the weapons found on the vessel could have "hit Israeli cities," indicating they included missiles
The vessel had containers stacked on its deck and was taken to Ashdod port south of Tel Aviv. Israel Radio's military affairs correspondent identified the vessel as the Francop.
The pre-dawn seizure near Cyprus was a rare interception by Israel of a suspected arms shipment, which has long accused Iran of arming its enemies. Israel offered no evidence to support its claim that the weapons were meant for Hezbollah.
Weapons including anti-tank missiles and Katyusha rockets were stashed on a commercial vessel operating under the guise of an aid boat, captained by a Pole and flying an Antiguan flag, Israeli defense officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the military had not officially released the information.
Based on intelligence reports, a naval unit patrolling the area intercepted and boarded the vessel without incident, defense officials said.
Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said the crew was not involved in any arms-smuggling effort.
The boat was towed to the southern Israeli port of Ashdod, where the weapons were being unloaded.
A senior Lebanese army official refused to comment on the report, saying it happened outside Lebanon's national waters. He spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military regulations.
Barak called the interception "another success against the relentless attempts to smuggle weapons to bolster terrorist elements threatening Israel's security."
The boat was the second major arms ship Israel has seized in its campaign to quash the smuggling of weapons to Palestinian and Lebanese militants.
In January 2002, Israeli forces stormed the Karine A freighter on the Red Sea, and confiscated what the military said were 50 tons of missiles, mortars, rifles and ammunition headed for Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.
Authorities from other countries, including the United States last month, have stopped ships suspected of carrying arms in the past.
The Lebanon-Israel border has been largely quiet since Israel and Hezbollah fought a fierce war in the summer of 2006. But Israel has long warned that Hezbollah fighters have been rearming and now possess some 40,000 rockets.
Gaza militants also have dramatically reduced their rocket attacks on southern Israel since a bruising winter war. But militants continue to smuggle in rockets and components through underground tunnels with Egypt, the Israeli military says.
On Tuesday, the head of military intelligence said Gaza's militant Hamas rulers recently test-fired a missile capable of striking Israel's largest urban center, metropolitan Tel Aviv.
Hamas and Hezbollah are both proxies of Iran, whose nuclear program, long-range missiles and patronage of militants on Israel's southern and northern flanks make it the Jewish state's most formidable foe.
Israel shares the West's fears that Tehran is developing nuclear weapons, despite its assertions to the contrary. Neutralizing the Iranian nuclear threat remains Netanyahu's top priority and Israel has not ruled out a military strike against Tehran's nuclear facilities.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
AP
Nov. 4: The ship identified as an arms smuggling vessel seized by Israeli authorities near Cyprus is seen in the southern Israeli city of Ashdod.
Israeli defense officials say a ship the navy confiscated on Wednesday in waters off Cyprus was carrying more than 60 tons of weapons.
They say the cargo included missiles, antitank weapons and mortars. The officials said the weapons were coming from Iran and were bound for Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.
According to an official statement, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the munitions, on what the military described as an Antiguan-flagged ship boarded by a naval unit 100 miles from the Israeli coast, were earmarked for "the terrorist arena in the north," an apparent reference to Hezbollah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a separate statement, said the weapons found on the vessel could have "hit Israeli cities," indicating they included missiles
The vessel had containers stacked on its deck and was taken to Ashdod port south of Tel Aviv. Israel Radio's military affairs correspondent identified the vessel as the Francop.
The pre-dawn seizure near Cyprus was a rare interception by Israel of a suspected arms shipment, which has long accused Iran of arming its enemies. Israel offered no evidence to support its claim that the weapons were meant for Hezbollah.
Weapons including anti-tank missiles and Katyusha rockets were stashed on a commercial vessel operating under the guise of an aid boat, captained by a Pole and flying an Antiguan flag, Israeli defense officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the military had not officially released the information.
Based on intelligence reports, a naval unit patrolling the area intercepted and boarded the vessel without incident, defense officials said.
Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said the crew was not involved in any arms-smuggling effort.
The boat was towed to the southern Israeli port of Ashdod, where the weapons were being unloaded.
A senior Lebanese army official refused to comment on the report, saying it happened outside Lebanon's national waters. He spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military regulations.
Barak called the interception "another success against the relentless attempts to smuggle weapons to bolster terrorist elements threatening Israel's security."
The boat was the second major arms ship Israel has seized in its campaign to quash the smuggling of weapons to Palestinian and Lebanese militants.
In January 2002, Israeli forces stormed the Karine A freighter on the Red Sea, and confiscated what the military said were 50 tons of missiles, mortars, rifles and ammunition headed for Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.
Authorities from other countries, including the United States last month, have stopped ships suspected of carrying arms in the past.
The Lebanon-Israel border has been largely quiet since Israel and Hezbollah fought a fierce war in the summer of 2006. But Israel has long warned that Hezbollah fighters have been rearming and now possess some 40,000 rockets.
Gaza militants also have dramatically reduced their rocket attacks on southern Israel since a bruising winter war. But militants continue to smuggle in rockets and components through underground tunnels with Egypt, the Israeli military says.
On Tuesday, the head of military intelligence said Gaza's militant Hamas rulers recently test-fired a missile capable of striking Israel's largest urban center, metropolitan Tel Aviv.
Hamas and Hezbollah are both proxies of Iran, whose nuclear program, long-range missiles and patronage of militants on Israel's southern and northern flanks make it the Jewish state's most formidable foe.
Israel shares the West's fears that Tehran is developing nuclear weapons, despite its assertions to the contrary. Neutralizing the Iranian nuclear threat remains Netanyahu's top priority and Israel has not ruled out a military strike against Tehran's nuclear facilities.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
