Israel Captures Ship Containing Iranian Weapons
[Guest post by DRJ]
The Israeli Navy has captured a ship in the waters off Cyprus carrying Iranian weapons:
“[Rear Admiral Roni Ben-Yehuda, the deputy Israeli navy commander] told a briefing that “hundreds of tons” of weapons were found on the ship, giving a much higher estimate than an earlier one of more than 60 tons.
Containers had Iranian shipping codes in English — “IRISL” on one side and “I.R. Iranian Shipping Lines Group” on the other. Some of the hundreds of crates lined up on the dock were open, revealing dark green missiles with English-language designations painted in black.”
Israels says the arms were intended by Lebanon’s Hezbollah guerrillas. Syria’s Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, who is apparently in Tehran, denies the ship was even carrying weapons:
“Unfortunately, some pirates sometimes take action in the name of inspection and prevent the saling of commercial ships,” he was quoted as saying by the state IRNA news agency during a visit Wednesday. “This ship was carrying goods from Syria heading to Iran and was not carrying weapons making materials.”
It was unclear why al-Moallem said the ship was headed in the opposite direction of that claimed by Israel. Syrian officials were not immediately available for comment in Damascus.
Iran and Syria are close allies and Hezbollah’s principle backers. Israel accuses Syria and Iran of supplying Hezbollah with weapons using air, sea and land routes — including through the port of Latakia.
If true, Israel’s claim would bolster allegations that Syria has been complicit in getting weapons to Hezbollah.”
Ya think?
— DRJ
Back when Israel took out that Syrian nuke site (thanks, North Korea!), we should’ve gone to Baby Assad and told him that next time we’ll let the Israelis take him out personally.
Dmac (a964d5) — 11/4/2009 @ 5:38 pmSyria’s Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, who is apparently in Tehran, denies the ship was even carrying weapons:
To be an Arab is to be a liar. They learn lies with their mothers’ milk.
nk (df76d4) — 11/4/2009 @ 5:47 pmGolly, how are the folks on J Street going to explain away this one?
Commentary Magazine’s Contentions blog has good coverage of it (including video) here.
JVW (d32e06) — 11/4/2009 @ 6:06 pmEven the dumbest drug dealers have the sense to try to say that “this isn’t my jacket… I was cold and found it… what? Meth? That’s not mine!”
SteveG (97b6b9) — 11/4/2009 @ 6:08 pmWe should just take out the leader of syria personally.
Seriously, what’s the dang downside to that? He’s a Baathist, right?
Dustin (bb61e3) — 11/4/2009 @ 6:20 pmIt would be ironic if he suffered a broken neck after slipping in his bath-tub.
AD - RtR/OS! (9e209a) — 11/4/2009 @ 6:24 pmWell, we can dream.
One thing this tells me is fellow Arab countries may be telling Iran that trucking weapons to Syria (then transit to Palestine) is not allowed
Not much but a definite change in gulf behavior – and in the Arab word sometimes subtle msgs are the loudest
EricPWJohnson (bd3301) — 11/4/2009 @ 7:40 pm[…] Israel Captures Ship Containing Iranian Weapons […]
The News Factor: updated headlines 11-5-09 (c06615) — 11/5/2009 @ 4:44 amI think we should turn Israel completely loose. If Arab leaders and extremists don’t want to die and find out Allah is a false myth, then they can leave Israel in peace.
PCD (1d8b6d) — 11/5/2009 @ 5:41 amPCD, I have a feeling that the IDF and the Mossad are already making urgent plans to act on Iran and Syria if Obama doesn’t get his head out of his backside shortly.
Dmac (a964d5) — 11/5/2009 @ 7:21 amThere is absolutely no reason to suppose that Obama will get his head out. Behavior to date suggests that his ego cannot accept the idea of error.
BarSinister (7c96f0) — 11/5/2009 @ 9:39 amAnyone starting to get the feeling that Obama is the human incarnation of the NOMAD probe from Star Trek (Original series)?
Error! Error! Must Sterilize! ERROR!!!!
PCD (1d8b6d) — 11/5/2009 @ 9:42 amTruck transport Iran to Syria…
AD - RtR/OS! (0a796c) — 11/5/2009 @ 11:05 amThe Islamisization (sic) of the Turkish Government is very troublsome, in that, this gives Iran a highway supply route to Syria by-passing American influence and control and the prospect of engaging the Israeli Navy.
Turkey used to be Israel’s best friend in the Muslim world; now, not so much what with the recent cancellation of joint military training activities, and their reaching out to the Mad Mullahs in Tehran.