In 2009 the same unit seized the Francop cargo ship as it made its way toward Lebanon filled with hundreds of tons of weaponry en route from Iran to Hezbollah.The commando teams waited on a small, fast patrol boast as the INS Eilat, one of the navy's Sa'ar 5-class corvettes and blocked the Francop's course. After the commander of the Eilat received permission from the Francop's captain to board the freighter, he radioed the commandos and gave them the green light to close in.The commandos scaled ropes and climbed aboard the ship without encountering any resistance. They lined up the crew and, while several sailors kept an eye on them, others searched the cargo containers until they discovered the weaponry.The last operation before the seizure of the Francop in which Naval commando13 is known to have participated was during the 2006 Lebanon war, when a team entered the Lebanese coastal town of Tyre in an attempt to capture a senior Hezbullah operative and take out some of the group's long-range missile capability.'Karine A' arms ship captured in Red SeaThe commando was also behind the capture of the Karine A arms ship in the Red Sea in 2002, as its made its way to bring weaponry to terrorists in the Gaza Strip. During the second intifada, the elite unit participated in ground operations as well, and was credited with the capture and killing of several senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists.
'Karine A' to 'Victoria': History of naval seizures
Navy's elite Flotilla 13 unit has been involved over past decade with high profile missions involving seizure of weapons headed for Hamas, Hezbollah.
In 2009 the same unit seized the Francop cargo ship as it made its way toward Lebanon filled with hundreds of tons of weaponry en route from Iran to Hezbollah.The commando teams waited on a small, fast patrol boast as the INS Eilat, one of the navy's Sa'ar 5-class corvettes and blocked the Francop's course. After the commander of the Eilat received permission from the Francop's captain to board the freighter, he radioed the commandos and gave them the green light to close in.The commandos scaled ropes and climbed aboard the ship without encountering any resistance. They lined up the crew and, while several sailors kept an eye on them, others searched the cargo containers until they discovered the weaponry.The last operation before the seizure of the Francop in which Naval commando13 is known to have participated was during the 2006 Lebanon war, when a team entered the Lebanese coastal town of Tyre in an attempt to capture a senior Hezbullah operative and take out some of the group's long-range missile capability.'Karine A' arms ship captured in Red SeaThe commando was also behind the capture of the Karine A arms ship in the Red Sea in 2002, as its made its way to bring weaponry to terrorists in the Gaza Strip. During the second intifada, the elite unit participated in ground operations as well, and was credited with the capture and killing of several senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists.