Israel: Iran Uses Civilian Ships as Floating Terror Bases

Israel accused the Iranian Revolutionary Guard on Monday of turning commercial ships into platforms for launching missiles, drones, and special forces, stating that "the goal is to expand Tehran's naval influence beyond the Gulf region." Defense Minister Yoav Gallant presented images of six Iranian ships that are allegedly repurposed, stating in a conference at the Herzliya security forum that "these are floating terror bases, and one of them recently sailed towards the Gulf of Aden." He added, "This comes directly after the maritime terrorism that Iran has carried out in the Arabian Gulf and the Arabian Sea. It is working to expand its activities to include the Indian Ocean as well, and later to the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea." Gallant's allegations coincided with rising tensions between the regional rivals over Iran's nuclear program and Tehran's support for Palestinian and Lebanese militant groups.