Israel Seizes 50 Tons of Weapons, Believes Iranian Shipment to Hamas

March 1, 2011

Publication Type: 

  • International Enforcement Actions

Author: 

Wisconsin Project Staff

The Israeli Navy seized a cargo vessel carrying 6 Chinese-made C-704 (Nasr 1) anti-ship missiles in the Mediterranean Sea. Also seized were 2,500 mortar shells, some 67,000 rounds of ammunition, 2 Kelvin Hughes radar systems, 2 C-704 launchers, and Farsi instruction manuals explaining how to operate the C-704. Israel believes the vessel, called the Victoria and flying a Liberian flag, was carrying the weaponry from Iran to Hamas, in violation of U.N. Security Council resolution 1747, which bars Iran from exporting conventional arms. The Victoria is German-owned, and operated by a French shipping company. The Israeli military said the Victoria departed from Syria, stopped in Turkey, and was headed for the port of Alexandria in Egypt when it was intercepted. Turkey and Egypt had no prior knowledge of the cargo's content, according to the Israeli government. The weaponry is being stored in Israel.

Footnotes: 

[1] "Panel of Experts Established Pursuant to Resolution 1929 (2010) - Final Report," United Nations Report, May 7, 2011.

[2] "List of Weaponry Found on the 'Victoria,'" Israel Defense Forces, March 16, 2011.

[3] Yaakov Katz, "Navy Intercepts Ship With Iranian Arms Bound for Hamas," The Jerusalem Post, March 15, 2011.

[4] "Israeli Navy Intercepts Egypt-Bound Ship With Arms," Associated Press, March 16, 2011.