UN Ambassador shows evidence that Iran smuggling weapons through civilian transport and maritime routes to Hezbollah over a year; IDF: the Iranian Quds Force has been smuggling missile manufacturing equipment purchased from civilian companies through civilian ports directly into the hands of Hezbollah.
Iran has been using maritime and civilian transport routes, as well as companies, to smuggle weapons and supplies to produce missiles to Hezbollah for well over a year. New evidence was presented to the United Nations Security Council during its session on the Middle East on Tuesday of smuggling routes via the Port of Beirut and flights from Iran to civilian airports.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, presented the evidence that “the Port of Beirut has become the Port of Hezbollah”, displaying maps of the strategic routes used by Iran and Hezbollah. Danon reported on Tuesday to the Security Council, “The Iranian regime is transferring weapons in various ways. The Quds Force exploits civilian airports in Damascus and Beirut… as well as civilian land infrastructure on the Syria-Lebanon border to smuggle weapons, dual-use items, and other capabilities.” He added, “Iran and the Quds Force have begun to advance the exploitation of the civilian maritime channels, specifically the Port of Beirut.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also shared the map Danon showed the Council, releasing the statement, “For the last year, the Iranian Quds Force has been smuggling missile manufacturing equipment purchased from civilian companies through civilian ports directly into the hands of Hezbollah. Well Iran, if you’d planned to keep this a secret –that ship has sailed.”
Israel has been thwarting weapons transfers from Iran to its proxies, mainly Hamas and Hezbollah, through airstrikes, mainly in Syria. Reports were released last weekend that Hezbollah deployed forces on the border with Israel as well as along the Syrian border with the Golan Heights. Hezbollah has been clear that any attacks on Iran or Lebanon would result in rockets on Israel.
