Ok, so I’m guessing I am not the first source you’ve read today to inform of the IDF’s interception of weapons destined for terror groups in Gaza, and ultimately to be rained on Israeli civilians.
The IDF intercepted an attempt to smuggle an Iranian shipment of advanced weaponry intended for terrorist organizations operating in the Gaza Strip. The operation took place in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The operation was made possible due to the combination of in-depth intelligence and enhanced operational capabilities. This shipment was meant to reach the hands of terrorist organizations in Gaza that are waging an ongoing armed conflict against Israel. These terrorist organizations systematically use such weaponry against the Israeli civilian population.
Last night, following extensive preparations, and on the government’s authorization, the IDF Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Benjamin (Benny) Gantz, ordered the Israel Navy to intercept the KLOS-C, upon which the illicit arms were concealed in between commercial cargo.
IDF special naval forces boarded the vessel, in accordance with international law, and carried out a preliminary inspection of the cargo.
They discovered numerous advanced weapons during the inspection, including M-302 surface-to-surface missiles, which are capable of reaching any point in Israel, including major population centers Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. If Palestinian terrorist organizations had gotten their hands on these weapons, they would have been able to use them to threaten millions of Israeli civilians.
For their part, the intended beneficiaries of these rockets are invoking the Manuel defence.
Israel claimed that it intercepted a ship in the Red Sea on Wednesday carrying Iranian “advanced weaponry” bound for Palestinian militants in Gaza, the military said.
Representatives of both Hamas and Islamic Jihad, however, denied the accusations, with Hamas officials pointing out that Gaza is under a complete naval blockade by Israel that would make any shipment of arms into the besieged coastal enclave impossible.
Gaza Ministry of Interior spokesman Islam Shahwan said in a statement that Israeli claims were a “dangerous move” to justify Israel’s seven-year long blockade.
Shahwan urged journalists to avoid “being tricked by the Israeli narrative about capturing a ship carrying weapons to Gaza,” adding that “the sea is completely besieged and closed by the Israeli navy, and any ship which sails will be obstructed.”
An Islamic Jihad official in Gaza also said that the group has no information on the weapon shipment intercepted by Israel.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Ma’an that he has “no clear data on the subject, but if the information is true it is a medal of honor to the one who sent the shipment.”
The problem is that, as the below video explains, the rockets would have been smuggled via land through the Sinai Peninsula and into Gaza – not via the sea.
So basically what we are left with is the terror groups admitting the efficacy of the Gaza blockade in preventing weapons from getting into Gaza via the sea.
Perhaps it is them who deserve a medal of honor – for their contribution to hasbara.
Assuming we could get past the whole trying to murder us thing.
