WEAPONS INTENDED FOR HEZBOLLAH FROM IRAN CAPTURED

The IDF has raided a ship from Antigua bound for Lebanon and Syria carrying weapons for the Hezbollah provided by Iran:

Hundreds of tons of weaponry, ten times the size of the Karine A shipment of 2002, were seized in an overnight raid Tuesday by the Israeli navy, some 100 nautical miles west of Israel, officials said.

The weapons seized on the ship, which was sailing under an Antiguan flag, included 3,000 rockets of various types.

The transfer of such large amounts of weapons, "is done in order to create a balance of terror with Israel," said Brigadier General Rani Ben-Yehuda, deputy commander of the Israeli navy, at a press conference.

Defense officials said the 140-meter long Francop, captured near Cyprus, was carrying arms sent by Iran and destined for Syria and Hizbullah.

After several days of the Israeli military monitoring the ship, IDF Navy Seals boarded it in the middle of the night. Suspicions were raised after the Seals uncovered certificates within containers that documented Iran as the point of origin for some containers, with Syria as the intended destination.

Upon receiving permission from relevant authorities, including the political establishment, the seals commandeered the ship and brought it to Israel. Once on its way to Israeli shores, Israel apprised the government of Antigua and the company that owns the ship of the situation, said the officials.

After leaving the Bandar-Abbas Port in Iran, the cargo was shipped through the Suez Canal, unloaded at the Mediterranean Port of Damietta in Egypt and then loaded onto the ship that was captured by the navy. The intended destination was the port Latakia in Syria, with the contents of the shipment to be sent to Hizbullah, they said.

The ships' crew was unaware of the weapons on board, as the armaments were disguised as humanitarian aid.

Oh really? I should only hope so, but if they really didn't know, that's why it'd do to inspect the contents of what they bring elsewhere, or better yet, not do any business with Islamic countries like those that deal in this kind of atrocious behavior. Thank goodness that weapons smuggling was intercepted before it could've resulted in disaster.