Telegraph: Some Iranian bombs used by Hezbollah against Israel are trafficked through Europe

The Telegraph reported on Thursday, March 15, that the Islamic Republic of Iran uses European ports to send arms shipments to Hezbollah, its proxy group in Lebanon. The British newspaper cited an unnamed source stating that the terrorist group Hezbollah receives missiles and bombs from ships docking at ports in Belgium, Spain, and Italy. According to this source, since the Israeli Air Force targeted shipments entering Syria from Iraq overland, the Islamic Republic has turned to maritime routes for arms transport. The report indicates that to conceal the final destination, weapons and other goods are transported to the port of Latakia in Syria before the ships depart for the ports of Antwerp in Belgium, Valencia in Spain, and Ravenna in Italy. The Telegraph quoted a senior intelligence source in Israel saying, "Using European ports helps conceal shipments, change the initial loading location by altering bills of lading, and also swap containers." Europe has large ports, and the Iranian government exploits them as a cover; utilizing these large ports and moving shipments within them is easier and faster than in smaller ports. The Telegraph further noted that Israeli attacks have caused a change in Tehran's tactics. Ronen Solomon, an independent intelligence analyst in Israel, stated that Iran also sends weapons directly to Syria. The use of separate routes through Europe is to "legitimize" the shipments and divert attention from the direct transfer of arms to Syria. He said, "The reason we are witnessing Iran's efforts to transfer weapons by sea is that Israel has targeted air and ground infrastructures in Syria and Lebanon, and thus we have seen an increase in container shipments." The port of Latakia on the Mediterranean coast in northwestern Syria was targeted in airstrikes in 2021. Israel rarely claims operations on Syrian soil. Solomon, who works with intelligence officials in Israel, stated that the Iranian corridor or corridor to Syria and Lebanon is "continuously active" through land, air, and sea. He added that Iranian weapons also reach Hamas, and routes that include Egypt and Libya are used to send arms to Hamas in Gaza. According to this intelligence analyst based in Israel, the movement of ships and containers through Europe, especially under the cover of companies based in countries like Romania, helps the Iranian government maintain secrecy. He noted that Libya has long been recognized as a route for arms to Hamas through Rafah in Egypt, and this could also apply to the latest shipments sent to Hamas, as inspections in Egypt are not conducted in the same manner as at the Israeli borders. Based on information provided to Ronen Solomon, since the beginning of Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, five Iranian ships have been loaded from Bandar Abbas bound for Syria. The weapons were then transferred to Hezbollah in coordination with the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza continue.