Israel Shayetet naval commandos during the predawn hours on Wednesday, 3 Adar II 5774 intercepted a weapons vessel, the KLOS-C. They boarded the vessel 1,500km (900 miles) from Israel’s port. Tens of M-302 missiles were on the vessel, loaded in Iran and transported to Sudan. Israel reports the shipment was headed to Gaza.

B’chasdei Hashem, members of Shayetet 13 boarded the vessel as it was traveling to Gaza. The vessel was flying a Panama flag when the commandos boarded at 05:30. The missiles on board, which were hidden between bags of cement, have a range of 200km (120 miles). They can carry a warhead weighing over 100kg (220 lbs) and they are manufactured in Syria. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz was supervising the operation from the Defense Ministry control center, giving the green light to Navy Admiral Rom Rothberg who was in a naval vessel out at sea when the operation was taking place.

Walla News quoting a senior official reports the commando force did not encounter resistance, reporting there were 17 crew members on the vessel. The Israel Navy is now escorting the ship to the Port of Eilat. It will take a number of days until it arrives.

The navy worked with military intelligence and the air force in the operation, which once again proved that B’chasdei Hashem the intelligence information was quite accurate.

Dozens of missiles which were manufactured in Syria were loaded on to planes and flown to Iran. From there, members of the Revolutionary Guard packed them in civilian crates, seeking to remove concerns regarding the contents. The missile crates were then loaded on the vessel behind bags of cement. A civilian vessel then carried the cargo until intercepted near the Sudan-Eritrea border. It is theorized the missiles were going to be unloaded at the Port of Sudan and from there to Sinai and then smuggled into Gaza.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)