Under the guise of a "condom flotilla" and Greta: Iran's dramatic plan against Israel exposed
Hamas and Tehran operated a flotilla from 19 countries with dozens of vessels in an attempt to block merchant ships. The IDF Navy recognizes that the scenario of blocking Israel's maritime space in the Mediterranean is a real strategic option for Iran.
Iran is attempting to leverage its strategic assets to disrupt maritime traffic in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea by blocking the Strait of Hormuz and utilizing Houthi proxies to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. However, it has emerged that Iran, through Hamas's foreign leadership, also attempted to block and interfere with shipping traffic in the Mediterranean.
About two months ago, the IDF Navy thwarted a Hamas-led flotilla bound for Gaza. The "Sumud" flotilla set sail with the participation of pro-Palestinian activists from 19 nations, including Indonesia, Turkey, Greece, the UK, the USA, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Brazil, Colombia, Australia, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Mexico.
The flotilla operated in two waves under the direction of senior Hamas official Zaher al-Birawi. Israel assesses that the flotilla's purpose was not merely to stage a provocation or damage Israel's international standing, but to impose a naval blockade on shipping lanes to Israel. During the operation off the coast of Crete, the Navy observed the flotilla splitting into two groups.
Initially, it was assumed the split was intended to complicate interception efforts by Navy missile boat crews and Shayetet 13 commandos. However, the IDF concluded it was a tactical ambush, with some vessels attempting to block the path of merchant ships sailing eastward toward Israel.
This assessment was confirmed when several boats attempted to obstruct an Israeli merchant vessel. The captain, according to the Navy, maintained his course without stopping. Approximately 60 vessels participated in the two waves. Following the policy of incoming Navy commander Major General Eyal Harel, the Navy seized and subsequently sank the vessels, serving as a deterrent against the organizers.
The Iranian threat in the Mediterranean
The Navy recognizes that blocking Israel's maritime space in the Mediterranean is a tactic Iran is actively pursuing. At the onset of the "Arrows of the North" war, the Navy and Air Force destroyed over 80% of Hezbollah's surface-to-sea missiles and neutralized the personnel responsible for operating this system, which was considered the organization's most secret strategic arm. Hezbollah possessed various missiles, including the Chinese and Iranian-made C-704 and C-802, with a range of approximately 120 km—the same type that struck the INS Hanit during the Second Lebanon War.
Additionally, they held "Ghader" cruise missiles with a range of up to 200 km, as well as Russian-made Yakhont missiles upgraded by the Iranian military industry. During the "Iron Swords" war, the Navy conducted escort operations for merchant vessels to prevent attacks as part of the Iranian effort to impose a naval blockade.
Last week, the Navy conducted a massive exercise involving all defensive and offensive systems across all theaters—from the North to Gaza, the Mediterranean, and the Red Sea. Among the scenarios practiced was an attempt to impose a naval blockade on shipping traffic to Israel.
The IDF states that any such attempt would be considered an act of strategic aggression, which could trigger a highly significant response from Israel.
