To disguise the aim of the journey, weapons and different provides are presently being transported to the Syrian port of Latakia earlier than heading to ports in Antwerp, Valencia and Ravenna, in keeping with the Telegraph.
Weapons are transported south from Latakia to Lebanon.
A senior Israeli supply stated: “Using Europe will assist conceal the character and origin of the cargo and clear the cargo by switching paperwork and containers.”
“Europe has big ports, so Iran makes use of that for camouflage. It’s a lot simpler to maneuver in bigger ports the place you need to transfer issues shortly, versus smaller ports the place you want extra scrutiny. .
“It’s a cat-and-mouse sport between us and the Iranians. They’re attempting to smuggle and we’re attempting to cease them. It’s been like this for at the very least three years. ”
Israeli assault prompts change in ways
Ronen Solomon, an unbiased intelligence analyst primarily based in Israel, stated Iran can be delivery weapons on to Syria. The use of another route by Europe was to “legitimize” the cargo and “divert consideration” from direct transport.
The port of Latakia was the goal of airstrikes in 2021, though Israel has not claimed any airstrikes, and few operations inside Syrian territory have been confirmed.
“In the final month, Iran has been attempting to maneuver by the ocean due to Israeli assaults on air and land infrastructure from Syria to Lebanon, so there was a rise in container site visitors,” Solomon stated. .
Solomon, who works with Israeli intelligence officers, stated Iranian corridors by land, air and sea to Syria and Lebanon are “constantly operational.”
This inflow of weapons comes amid the worst tensions between Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Israel because the Second Lebanon War.