Israeli naval forces board Panamanian-flagged
Klos C in the heart of the Red Sea, as the ship was sailing to
Port Sudan • Hidden weaponry on board includes Syrian-made M-302
missiles, which have a range of 100-200 kilometers.
The Klos C
 |
Far from Israel's shores, in the heart of the
Red Sea, the Israeli Navy early Wednesday morning intercepted a ship
full of weaponry bound for Palestinian terrorist groups in the Gaza
Strip.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, the
weaponry on board included dozens of M-302 missiles, which have a range
of 100-200 kilometers (62-124 miles). The weapons were hidden inside
cement containers.
Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit, Paz Bar
The weapons were originally flown from Syria to Iran. From Iran, they were shipped by boat to Iraq. The shipment was intercepted as it was being moved by boat from Iraq to Sudan, from where the weapons were to have been smuggled overland to Gaza.
The interception occurred shortly before the shipment was due to arrive in Port Sudan.
The Panamanian-flagged Klos C, with a crew of 17, was boarded by Israeli naval forces around 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) south of Israel in the Red Sea, off the coast of Eritrea and Sudan. The crew put up no resistance and no one was injured in the operation.
It is not known whether the crew of the Klos C was aware of the weaponry on board.
Israeli intelligence had been monitoring the arms shipment for many weeks. The shipment was first discovered several months ago when intelligence learned of Syrian-made M-302 missiles being flown from the international airport in Damascus to Tehran, under the direction of Iran's Al-Quds force. This set off a "red light" for Israel, as such shipments are usually made in the opposite direction.
From Tehran, the weapons were moved to the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas. This was the same port used for the arms shipment that was intercepted on the Francop ship by the Israeli Navy in November 2009. In Bandar Abbas, the weapons were put on board the Klos C, along with cement containers.
The Klos C sailed from Bandar Abbas to the Iraqi port city of Umm Qasr, where additional cement containers were brought on board. The ship then set sail for Port Sudan, but was intercepted by the Israeli Navy before reaching its destination.
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz commanded Wednesday's operation from IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, while Israeli Navy Commander Vice Adm. Ram Rothberg oversaw the interception from a forward command post.
The Klos C is now being towed to Eilat.
M-302 missiles have a significantly greater range than any of the missiles currently in use by terrorist groups in Gaza.
The Panamanian-flagged Klos C, with a crew of 17, was boarded by Israeli naval forces around 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) south of Israel in the Red Sea, off the coast of Eritrea and Sudan. The crew put up no resistance and no one was injured in the operation.
It is not known whether the crew of the Klos C was aware of the weaponry on board.
Israeli intelligence had been monitoring the arms shipment for many weeks. The shipment was first discovered several months ago when intelligence learned of Syrian-made M-302 missiles being flown from the international airport in Damascus to Tehran, under the direction of Iran's Al-Quds force. This set off a "red light" for Israel, as such shipments are usually made in the opposite direction.
From Tehran, the weapons were moved to the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas. This was the same port used for the arms shipment that was intercepted on the Francop ship by the Israeli Navy in November 2009. In Bandar Abbas, the weapons were put on board the Klos C, along with cement containers.
The Klos C sailed from Bandar Abbas to the Iraqi port city of Umm Qasr, where additional cement containers were brought on board. The ship then set sail for Port Sudan, but was intercepted by the Israeli Navy before reaching its destination.
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz commanded Wednesday's operation from IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, while Israeli Navy Commander Vice Adm. Ram Rothberg oversaw the interception from a forward command post.
The Klos C is now being towed to Eilat.
M-302 missiles have a significantly greater range than any of the missiles currently in use by terrorist groups in Gaza.
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