Iran appears to be busy moving heavy weapons throughout the Middle East. A day after Israeli commandos seized a huge cache of weapons bound for Gaza come reports of two more shipments that were stopped before reaching their destinations.
Egyptian forces intercepted mortars, rocket propelled grenades, rifles and explosives that were being trucked in over Egypt's border with Sudan. The weapons were destined for Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
An inspection of an Iran Air plane forced to land at a Turkish airport uncovered weapons suspected of being tied to Iran's nuclear program. The plan was bound for Syria.
On Tuesday, Israeli commandos raided a Liberian flagged ship 200 miles off the Israeli coast, finding 50 tons of Iranian weapons including mortar shells, C-704 anti-ship missiles that have a 35 km range, radar systems and nearly 67,000 bullets for Kalashnikov rifles. The ship had sailed from Syria and stopped in Turkey before being boarded by the commandos.
The weapons were found hidden beneath containers loaded with Syrian cotton and lentils.
"Every day there are efforts by Iran, Syria and terrorist organizations to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah and Hamas," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "There is an axis of terror in our region, and we have to confront it if we want to prevent terrorism and create a chance for peace."
Acknowleding that Israel's naval blockade against Gaza draws international criticism, Netanyahu said "our answer is here today at the Ashdod port" where the shipment was unloaded and displayed.
An Iranian army commander dismissed the Israeli raid of the ship Victoria. "The Zionist regime's diet is mixed with lies, lies and more lies," said Commander-General Amir Ataollah Salehi. "We deny all false reports."