The Israel Navy seized a cargo vessel early Tuesday morning in the Mediterranean
Sea that was carrying advanced weaponry, including anti-ship missiles that could
alter the balance of power in the region.
Israel believes the weaponry
originated in Iran and was destined for Hamas and other terrorist groups in the
Gaza Strip.
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In an operation called “Iron Law,” Israeli navy missile boats
approached the Victoria cargo ship late Monday night as it passed some 320 km.
off Israel’s coast. One of the vessels reached the captain on the radio and
asked for permission to board.
Once he gave permission and began lowering
a ladder, a number of speedboats carrying several teams of commandos from
Flotilla 13 – known as the Shayetet – closed in.
The commandos did not
encounter resistance when boarding the ship and were given the cargo
certificates indicating that 39 containers had been loaded in the Syrian port of
Latakia.
Two weeks earlier, a pair of Iranian warships had docked at the
same port – possibly carrying weapons. Four of the containers, found with heavy
locks, were slated to be unloaded in the port of Alexandria in Egypt.
The
ship left Latakia and sailed to the port of Mersin in Turkey – likely a ploy
meant to deflect attention from the ship and its cargo. The IDF stressed that it
believed that neither Egypt nor Turkey was involved in the arms
shipment.
According to the certificates, the
containers were supposed to be carrying cotton and lentils, but when the
commandos pulled out the first row of sacks they found crates of mortar shells
and advanced anti-ship missiles.
The total shipment was estimated to
weigh about 50 tons – similar to the cache discovered aboard the Karine A arms
ship stopped by the navy in 2002.
The deputy commander of the navy, V.-
Adm. Rani Ben-Yehuda, said the commandos had found two C-704 anti-ship missiles
inside one of the containers they inspected aboard the Victoria, which was
flying a Liberian flag.
The ship is owned by a German company, but was
being operated by a French company.
The Foreign Ministry notified all
three countries of the seizure.
The ship’s crew was unaware of the
weapons on board. The vessel was expected to arrive at Ashdod Port early
Wednesday morning.
Working on intelligence, the navy had started
monitoring the ship several days ago and immediately began planning an
operation.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud
Barak approved the operation.
According to Ben-Yehuda, the Chinesemade
anti-ship missiles could have threatened Israeli sea-based strategic
installations “like gas drilling stations” as well as naval vessels, and even
the Ashdod Port.
“This shipment was of strategic importance,” he
said.
Ben-Yehuda added he did not know if the Iranian ships brought the
weaponry that was loaded onto the Victoria, but that the timing raised serious
questions. “This needs to be considered,” he said.
The C-704 has a range
of 35 km. and carries a warhead with 130 kg. of explosives.
The commandos
found booklets explaining how to use the missile in Farsi – further proof that
the missiles originated in Iran.
In addition to the anti-ship missiles,
the commandos also discovered 60-mm. and 120-mm. mortar shells.
The
missiles use advanced radar to acquire their targets. In 2006, a Chinese-made C-
802 missile struck the INS Hanit off the coast of Beirut, killing four Israeli
sailors.
“The missile is made in China and it is in the possession of the
Iranians, and this adds to suspicions that it came from Iran,” Ben- Yehuda said.
“This missile can threaten strategic installations near the coast and navy
vessels that operate at sea.”
The IDF released pictures showing mortar
shells inside crates, as well as the C-704 missiles with the word “Nasr” written
on them.
Nasr is what Iran calls the missile.
In November 2009,
the Israel Navy seized the Francop cargo ship, which was carrying 500 tons of
weaponry from Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon – including Katyusha rockets and
grenades.
At the time, IDF officers said the amount was enough to sustain
Hezbollah for several weeks of war.