DUBAI: Iran’s navy seized two American sea drones in the Red Sea before letting them go Friday, officials said, in the latest maritime incident involving the US Navy’s new drone fleet in the Mideast.
Iranian state television aired footage it said came from the deck of the Iranian navy’s Jamaran destroyer, where lifejacket-wearing sailors examined two Saildrone Explorers. They tossed one overboard as another warship could be seen in the distance.
State TV said the Iranian navy found “several unmanned spying vessels abandoned in the international maritime routes” on Thursday.
“After two warnings to an American destroyer to prevent possible incidents, Jamaran seized the two vessels,” state TV said. “After securing the international shipping waterway, the Naval Squadron No. 84 released the vessels in a safe area.”
It added: “The US Navy was warned to avoid repeating similar incidents in future.”
A US defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the incident before the military offered a formal statement, identified the seized drones as Saildrone Explorers. Those drones are commercially available and used by a variety of clients, including scientists, to monitor open waters.
Two American destroyers in the Red Sea, as well as Navy helicopters, responded to the incident, the official said. They called the Iranian destroyer over the radio and followed the vessel until it released the drones Friday morning, the official said.
“We have them in our custody,” the official said. “We continue our operations across the region.”
This marks the second such incident in recent days as negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers hang in the balance.
The earlier incident involved Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, not its regular navy, and occurred in the Arabian Gulf. The Guard towed a Saildrone Explorer before releasing it as an American warship trailed it. Iran had criticized the US Navy for releasing a “Hollywood” video of the incident, only to do the same Friday in the Red Sea incident.
The 5th Fleet launched its unmanned Task Force 59 last year. Drones used by the Navy include ultra-endurance aerial surveillance drones, surface ships like the Sea Hawk and the Sea Hunter and smaller underwater drones that resemble torpedoes.
The 5th Fleet’s area of responsibility includes the crucial Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Arabian Gulf through which 20 percent of all oil passes. It also stretches as far as the Red Sea reaches near the Suez Canal, the waterway in Egypt leading to the Mediterranean, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off Yemen.
The region has seen a series of maritime attacks in recent years.
Off Yemen in the Red Sea, bomb-laden drone boats and mines set adrift by Yemen’s Houthi rebels have damaged vessels amid that country’s yearslong war. Near the United Arab Emirates and the Strait of Hormuz, oil tankers have been seized by Iranian forces. Others have been attacked in incidents the Navy blames on Iran.
Those attacks came about a year after then-President Donald Trump’s 2018 decision to unilaterally withdraw from Iran’s nuclear deal, in which sanctions on Tehran were lifted in exchange for it drastically limiting its enrichment of uranium.
Negotiations to revive the accord now hang in the balance. The US cast doubt Friday on Iran’s latest written response over the talks.
Iran now enriches uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels as officials openly suggest Tehran could build a nuclear bomb if it wishes to. Iran has maintained its program is peaceful, though Western nations and international inspectors say Tehran had a military nuclear program up until 2003.
Iran briefly seizes 2 US sea drones in Red Sea amid tensions
https://arab.news/zhbt5
Iran briefly seizes 2 US sea drones in Red Sea amid tensions
- A US defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, identified the seized drones as Saildrone Explorers
Israel’s aid restrictions deny Palestinian children ‘chance in life,’ WFP chief says
- Cindy McCain urges Israel to allow aid into the territory ‘at scale’
LONDON: Israel’s blocking of humanitarian aid to Gaza means a generation of Palestinian children are being denied a chance in life, the head of the UN’s World Food Program said on Thursday.
Israel imposed a full blockade on food and relief supplies from entering the territory on March 2, before breaking a ceasefire and resuming its devastating military operation a few weeks later.
Limited supplies were allowed back in late last month but nowhere near to the scale required, WFP Director Cindy McCain told Sky News.
“It’s very, very important that people realize that the only way to stave off malnutrition, catastrophic food insecurity and, of course, famine would be by complete and total access for organizations like mine,” she said.
“We’re looking at a generation of children that won’t have a chance in life because they haven’t had the proper nutrients. Right now, we’re looking at over 500,000 people within Gaza that are catastrophically food insecure.”
The resumption of limited aid supplies came after Israel built new distribution hubs in the territory run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a newly formed US organization.
Previously, the UN’s Palestinian refugees agency UNRWA and the WFP were in charge of distributing aid in the territory. But Israel has banned UNWRA from working in Gaza and has taken control of the aid system.
Scores of Palestinians have been shot dead this week as they attempted to access one of the new aid hubs in the south of the territory.
McCain said the new system was not allowing enough aid to get into Gaza to feed its malnourished population.
Speaking to “The World with Yalda Hakim,” she urged Israel to allow international aid to “get in at scale.”
“We need safe, unfettered, clear access all the way in and we're not getting that right now,” she said.
Her comments came as the GHF resumed its operations on Thursday after shutting down on Wednesday in response to the number of deaths near its hub.
McCain is the latest aid agency chief to deliver strongly worded condemnation of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, where its military operation has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians since October 2023.
On Wednesday, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross Mirjana Spoljaric said Gaza had become “worse than hell on earth.”
Residents of south Beirut suburbs flee Israeli warnings, strikes on Hezbollah factories
- November ceasefire sought to end the fighting — which left Hezbollah severely weakened
- Under the truce, Hezbollah fighters were to withdraw north of the Litani river
BEIRUT: Huge numbers of people fled Beirut’s southern suburbs on Thursday after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning and said it was striking underground drone factories belonging to Hezbollah.
The streets around the area were seen jammed with traffic as residents tried to leave, with Lebanese media reporting Israeli warning strikes.
“You are located near facilities belonging to the terrorist organization Hezbollah,” said the warning from the Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesman, Avichay Adraee.
“For your safety and the safety of your families, you are required to evacuate these buildings immediately and move away from them at a distance of no less than 300 meters.”
In a separate statement, the army said it would “soon carry out a strike on underground UAV (drone) production infrastructure sites that were deliberately established in the heart of (the) civilian population” in Beirut.
Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah engaged in more than a year of hostilities that began with the outbreak of the Gaza war and culminated in an intense Israeli bombing campaign and ground incursion into southern Lebanon.
A November ceasefire sought to end the fighting — which left Hezbollah severely weakened — but Israel has continued to regularly carry out strikes in Lebanon’s south.
Strikes targeting Beirut’s southern suburbs, considered a Hezbollah stronghold, have been rare, however.
“Following Hezbollah’s extensive use of UAVs as a central component of its terrorist attacks on the state of Israel, the terrorist organization is operating to increase production of UAVs for the next war,” the army statement said, calling the activities “a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.”
Under the truce, Hezbollah fighters were to withdraw north of the Litani river, about 30 kilometers from the border, and dismantle their military posts to the south.
Israel was to pull all its troops from Lebanon, but it has kept them in five positions it deems “strategic” along the frontier.
The Lebanese army has been deploying in the south and removing Hezbollah infrastructure there, with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam saying Thursday that it had dismantled “more than 500 military positions and arms depots” in the area.
Europe’s tough talk on Gaza belies its thirst for Israeli weapons
- Israeli defense ministry figures show exports of weapons to Europe surged in 2024
- European leaders have voiced growing anger over Gaza atrocities and threatened sanctions
LONDON: European leaders may recently have taken a tougher stance against Israel over the devastating Gaza war, but that is not reflected in their desire for Israeli weapons.
Israel’s arms exports increased by 13 percent in 2024 to a record $14.8 billion, an increase largely attributed to growing demand in Europe, according to Israel’s defense ministry figures released Wednesday.
Europe was the largest buyer, making up 54 percent of sales, a sharp increase from a 35 percent share in 2023.
Israel is among the top 10 largest arms exporters in the world and while it is dwarfed by the United States in terms of volume, its defense industry is one of the most technologically advanced.
European countries have increased defense spending to counter the threat from Russia and after pressure from the Trump administration to provide a greater contribution to the NATO alliance.
The figures show European demand has become a key new market for Israel, but there are signs that increasing opposition from countries like the UK, France, Germany and Italy to the Gaza war are affecting sales.
On Tuesday, Spain canceled a $325 million deal for anti-tank missile systems that were to be built by a subsidiary of an Israeli company. A government spokesperson said: “The goal is clear … a total disconnection from Israeli technology.”
Israel’s largest foreign defense deal was signed in September 2024 — to build an Arrow missile defense system for Germany at the cost of $4.3 billion. The system is expected to be delivered this year.
Yet even Germany, traditionally one of Israel’s closest allies, has started to condemn Israel’s Gaza operation, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying it “can no longer be justified.”
Israeli defense ministry officials are concerned that European countries may cancel further contracts or impose sanctions on Israeli defense companies, The Times of Israel reported.
Last month, the UK, France and Canada threatened “concrete actions” against Israel if it did not halt its military operation in Gaza and allow humanitarian aid into the territory.
The UK also paused negotiations on a free trade agreement with Israel.
The shift in stance from countries that were previously among Israel’s staunchest supporters came after Israel imposed a two-month blockade on food and humanitarian aid to Gaza’s desperate population and ramped up its military operation in the territory.
The killing of dozens of Palestinians congregating to access food aid from a controversial new distribution system has led to further rounds of strongly worded condemnation from European and global leaders.
The defense ministry export figures show that since the war started in October 2023, Israel has managed to continue growing its arms industry while at the same time carrying out operations in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen and Syria.
The numbers show the next biggest market for arms exports was the Asia-Pacific region with 23 per cent of the purchases. Arab countries that normalized relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords made up 12 percent.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said the all-time record in defense exports were the “direct result” of the military campaigns against Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran.
“The world sees Israeli strength and seeks to be a partner to it,” Katz added.
The ministry said that nearly half the deals were for air defense systems, missiles, and rockets, an increase of 12 percent from 2023.
About 9 percent of the sales were for vehicles, while satellite and space systems, electronic warfare systems, and manned aircraft and avionics, amounted to 8 percent each.
More than half of the deals were worth more than $100 million each.
Europe’s governments have also faced pressure to cut back arms sales to Israel
Israel’s military exports are dwarfed by the military aid it receives from the US, which was estimated at nearly $18 billion for the 12 months after the October 2023 Hamas-led attack.
During the attack, 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages seized. Israel’s resulting military operation in Gaza has killed more than 54,000 people, mostly women and children, and sparked a humanitarian disaster.
Lebanese interior minister vows high levels of cooperation with UNIFIL
- UN chief appoints new head of mission for peacekeeping force
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar emphasized his country’s commitment to cooperating with the UN peacekeeping mission, particularly “during this critical phase.”
Hajjar’s comments were made during a meeting with Gen. Aroldo Lazaro Saenz, the head of mission and force commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL.
In a significant development, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday named Maj. Gen. Diodato Abagnara to succeed Lazaro.
Guterres expressed his gratitude to Lazaro for his dedication and leadership of UNIFIL during a particularly challenging period the mission has faced.
Under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, the number of UNIFIL troops was increased from 200 to 15,000 following the 2006 war.
The number of peacekeepers was eventually reduced to 10,058, made up of troops from 50 countries.
The UN Security Council is scheduled to discuss the renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate on Aug. 31, amid increasing calls to restructure the peacekeepers’ role and responsibilities to better align with the current situation in southern Lebanon since the ceasefire agreement.
During the conflict between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, which lasted from October 2023 until a ceasefire agreement was reached in November 2024, UNIFIL faced a series of targeted attacks from Israel. The Israeli government accused UNIFIL of “failing to carry out its duties in the area of deployment.”
UNIFIL also came under Hezbollah fire during the Israeli ground offensive.
Incidents of UNIFIL patrols being intercepted and even attacked by residents in towns within their area of deployment increased.
These incidents occurred under the pretext that the forces were “not accompanied by the Lebanese Army,” despite UNIFIL’s assertion that “all its patrols are coordinated with the army.” Additionally, Hezbollah seemed to have a role in these civilian interceptions.
During his meeting with Lazaro, Hajjar reaffirmed the ongoing cooperation between the Lebanese state and the international forces stationed south of the Litani River in implementing Resolution 1701 in all its provisions.
Hajjar during the meeting underlined Lebanon’s commitment to the highest levels of cooperation with the mission.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, several Israeli army Hummer vehicles advanced toward the orchards of Al-Wazzani town, where they remained for some time before withdrawing. Later, the Israeli forces launched seven mortar shells at the western outskirts of Al-Wazzani.
Specialized units of the Lebanese army moved and detonated a missile left behind by previous Israeli air raids in the Marjayoun region of southern Lebanon.
Syria seizes weapons, missiles bound for Lebanon
- Officials in Al-Qusayr find items hidden in vegetable crates on truck
- Operation came after ‘meticulous’ planning, interior ministry says
BEIRUT: Syrian officials seized a shipment of weapons and ammunition, including guided anti-tank missiles, as they were being smuggled into Lebanese territory, the Ministry of Interior said on Thursday.
The haul, which was concealed inside a truck, was confiscated by officials from the Directorate of Internal Security in Al-Qusayr. The city is about 15 km from the Lebanese border, opposite the northern Bekaa villages which are a Hezbollah stronghold.
The operation was carried out “after meticulous monitoring and carefully choosing the right time and place,” the ministry said.
Images it published showed large quantities of crates that had been used to conceal the illicit cargo. The driver of the vehicle was arrested and the ammunition and weapons confiscated.
“Syrian authorities have intensified their security efforts in recent weeks, successfully combating weapons smuggling across the border, especially in areas close to Lebanon,” the ministry said.
“Significant quantities of light and medium weapons were seized in Al-Qusayr, some of which had been buried in farms and agricultural fields. A shipment of Grad missiles intended for smuggling out of the country was also confiscated.”
It said also that the Directorate of Internal Security in Nawa, located in the Daraa countryside, had “carried out a raid during which a quantity of light and medium weapons was seized and individuals involved in storage and smuggling were arrested.”
Last week, officials from the Syrian and Lebanese sides met in Damascus to discuss measures agreed on in earlier talks to curb smuggling along the border between the two countries.
Al-Qusayr served as Hezbollah’s military headquarters during its 2013 intervention in the Syrian war, after its residents were forced to flee to Lebanon.
