Posts tagged iranian warships
Iran Inspires Hamas Rocket Attack on Israel
Feb 24th
Boldness begets boldness
Iranian warships crossed through the Suez Canal for the first time since 1979 and docked at Syria’s Latakia port late Wednesday. The move has been called a “provocation” by Israeli President Shimon Peres, but is not seen as an immediate military threat to Israel. The ships met no interference by the United States or Israel, but Israeli officials have said that they are closely monitoring the situation.
According to the commander of the Iranian navy, Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, the ships are merely ”carrying a message of peace to the nations of the world,” but the bold move has inspired quite the opposite by emboldening Hamas to fire upon Israel. The unrest in the Middle East has brought with it a great deal of opportunity for Hamas to gain more weaponry, and build confidence for a fresh round of attacks on Israel.
Suspect Timing
Israel’s security leaders ought not to have been surprised when Hamas fired two long-range Iranian-made Grad missiles Wednesday night, Feb. 23 at the Negev cities of Beersheba and Netivot. The attack occurred exactly when Iranian Navy commander Adm. Habibollah Sayyari was due in Syria’s Latakia port to attend the welcoming party for the two Iranian warships which made it through the Suez Canal without US or Israeli interference. It also marked a fresh, redoubled Hamas offensive against Israel.
Western military sources report that the Iran-backed Palestinian Hamas is further exploiting the shaky situation in Cairo and Israeli inaction to double or even triple the quantities of weapons smuggled via the Suez Canal and Sinai into the Gaza Strip. One Israeli officer said he had never before seen surface-to-surface missiles, anti-aircraft missiles and anti-tank missiles secreted into Gaza in such bulk.
The confidence factor
The free passage afforded the two Iranian warships for transiting the Suez Canal Tuesday, Feb. 22 – without Egypt or US and Israeli warships even inspecting their cargoes – has encouraged Tehran to press on with its expansionist ambitions. Hamas understood that its redoubled offensive against Israel would be most welcome. The Palestinian extremists held their fire until Tehran announced the warships had put into Latakia Wednesday and the arrival of Iran’s navy chief that night. And then they went into action – first against an IDF border patrol, then to fire Grads at Beersheba and Netivot.
The Palestinians ruling Gaza are sending Grad missiles as messengers to Israel that they now enjoy Iranian support close by in the Mediterranean. source: Debka
Israel Warns It Might Act on Iranian Warships In Suez Canal
Feb 21st
Breaking News…
Israel is monitoring two Iranian warships about to pass through the Suez Canal for Syria and warn they might act. The Israeli Navy will be tracking the two warships as they cross the Suez Canal for the Mediterranean Sea, according to defense officials.
Reuters - An Iranian warship and speed boats take part in a naval war game in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, southern Iran on April 22, 2010.
Israel’s Defense Minister Ehud Barak said in a statement that it had alerted “friendly nations” about the warships, Reuters reports. Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman says that “Israel cannot ignore these provocations,” according to ynetnews.com. source- Fox News
Click here to read about US warships and Iran in a standoff…
Iran Says Warships Have Already Crossed Suez Canal
Feb 20th
Like two ships in the night
NTEB told you last week that Iran was planning to send to “unarmed” warships through the Suez Canal and into Syria. Egypt on Friday confirmed that they had authorization to do that and that it would happen on Monday. But today, Sunday, Iran is claiming that the ships have already crossed over.
Undated file photo of Iranian warships during naval exercises
Iran’s state broadcaster says vessels reach Mediterranean, despite recent reports that the controversial crossing, the first since 1979, would only take place later this week. Two Iranian naval ships passed through the Suez Canal on Sunday, Iranian media reported, following conflicting reports and speculations on whether or not Egypt’s ruling military would approve the move. ”Two Iranian warships have passed through the canal and are heading towards a Syrian port,” Al Alam said. Israel has called their passage through the canal “provocative”.
The report by Iran’s state broadcaster Al Alam came after a Suez Canal official claimed that the Iranian vessels were to sail through the the Mediterranean on Monday, in what will be the first passage of Iranian naval ships through the canal since 1979. Suez Canal officials denied the Iranian report later Sunday, insisting that the voyage would take place, as planned, on Monday. The official said the vessels were to arrive at the southern mouth of the canal in the Red Sea’s Gulf of Suez on Sunday. They were then planned to enter the canal in the northern convoy on Monday morning and complete the journey to the Mediterranean by evening.” source – Haaretz
Iranian Warships To Cross Suez To Syria!
Feb 16th
Iran provokes Israel as world reaction is mute
We reported to you a few hours ago that Iran was planning to provoke Israel by crossing warships thru the Suez Canal. This is now being accomplished.
Reuters An Iranian warship and speed boats take part in a naval war game in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, southern Iran on April 22, 2010.
Iran on the move
Twenty-four hours after Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the Egyptian upheaval had no military connotations for Israel, the Iranian frigate Alvand and cruiser Kharg transited the Suez Canal on their way to Syria Wednesday night, Feb. 16. Their passage was termed “a provocation” by Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. In Beirut, Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah said he was looking forward to Israel going to war on Lebanon because then his men would capture Galilee.
debkafile’s military sources report that Iran is rapidly seizing the fall of the Mubarak regime in Cairo and the Saudi King Abdullah’s falling-out with President Barack Obama (see debkafile of Feb. 10, 2011) as an opportunity not to be missed for establishing a foothold along the Suez Canal and access to the Mediterranean for six gains:
1. To cut off, even partially, the US military and naval Persian Gulf forces from their main route for supplies and reinforcements;
2. To establish an Iranian military-naval grip on the Suez Canal, through which 40 percent of the world’s maritime freights pass every day:
3. To bring an Iranian military presence close enough to menace the Egyptian heartland of Cairo and the Nile Delta and squeeze it into joining the radical Iranian-Syrian-Iraqi-Turkish alliance;
4. To thread a contiguous Iranian military-naval line from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea through the Suez Canal and the Gaza Strip and up to the ports of Lebanon, where Hizballah has already seized power and toppled the pro-West government.
5. To eventually sever the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, annex it to the Gaza Strip and establish a large Hamas-ruled Palestinian state athwart the Mediterranean, the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea.
By comparison, a Fatah-led Palestinian state on the West Bank within the American orbit be politically and strategically inferior.
6. To tighten the naval and military siege on Israel.
