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Israel Sends Submarines, Warships to Red Sea to Deter Iran

Tugboats are seen near a ship in the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen. (Reuters)
Tugboats are seen near a ship in the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen. (Reuters)
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Israel Sends Submarines, Warships to Red Sea to Deter Iran

Tugboats are seen near a ship in the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen. (Reuters)
Tugboats are seen near a ship in the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen. (Reuters)

Military sources in Tel Aviv revealed that the Israeli army sent a number of submarines, warships and forces from the Naval Commando unit to the Red Sea, raising alert level over possible Iranian move to avenge the assassinations of Quds Force commander Major General Qassem Soleimani and nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.

The Walla Hebrew-language News Agency reported on Wednesday that the Israeli army has placed a number of military units on high alert, including forces from the submarine fleet and the 13th Squadron.

A senior security officer pointed out that an Israeli submarine sailed recently through the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea, and disappeared for several weeks underwater.

The officer noted that the decision to transfer the submarine to the Red Sea was taken in proportion to the security challenges in the region, and constitutes a message that Israel is prepared for all scenarios.

Iranian officials have accused the Israeli Mossad of being responsible for the assassination of Fakhrizadeh, in addition to the involvement of Israeli intelligence in the killing of Soleimani in a US raid in Baghdad.

Two weeks ago, Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen said that the strategic weigh of the Red Sea is increasing, in context of regional and international struggles for influence.

Cohen added that this is a strategic political opportunity for Israel to establish and improve ties with the countries in the region based on security interests. These interests are represented in protecting navigation and finding a deterrence system against Iran and Houthis in the region.

He also warned, in his statements to Walla News Agency, of threats in the Red Sea.

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Iran Nuclear Tensions Escalate: Tehran Warns against 'Military Adventurism', China Urges Dialogue

A Planet Labs satellite image of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, located 120 kilometers north of Isfahan, taken last April. (AP)
A Planet Labs satellite image of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, located 120 kilometers north of Isfahan, taken last April. (AP)
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Iran Nuclear Tensions Escalate: Tehran Warns against 'Military Adventurism', China Urges Dialogue

A Planet Labs satellite image of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, located 120 kilometers north of Isfahan, taken last April. (AP)
A Planet Labs satellite image of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, located 120 kilometers north of Isfahan, taken last April. (AP)

China has urged a return to negotiations to resolve the Iranian nuclear crisis as Washington called on Tehran to halt its nuclear escalation and missile activities. Meanwhile, Iran lodged a complaint with the UN Security Council, warning of swift retaliation against any US or Israeli attack.

US President Donald Trump reiterated on Sunday his threat of an unprecedented strike on Iran if it refuses his offer for talks. According to sources, Trump sent a message to the Iranian leadership in early March, giving Tehran a two-month deadline to respond.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei dismissed the possibility of an external attack on Monday but warned the US of a strong response if it took military action. He stated that if Washington attempted to incite unrest within Iran, “the Iranian people would respond as they have in the past”.

Later, Iran formally complained to the UN Security Council about what it described as “reckless and hostile” US statements.

Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani wrote that Tehran “strongly warns against any military adventurism and will respond swiftly and decisively to any act of aggression or attack by the United States or its proxy, the Israeli regime, against its sovereignty, territorial integrity, or national interests.”

China, for its part, criticized Washington’s threats of military force against Iran’s nuclear program. According to the Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun urged the US to return to the negotiating table and demonstrate goodwill, stressing that sanctions and military threats will not lead to a resolution.

He further emphasized that Beijing believes the only effective solution is a political and diplomatic one and urged a renewed consensus within the framework of the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, plus Germany.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani rejected the threats against Iran. In a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday, he expressed Iraq’s commitment to Iran’s security and stability.

Iraq’s official news agency reported that Sudani emphasized coordination among Islamic nations to confront shared challenges and threats, fostering security and stability.

In response to Khamenei’s speech, the Trump administration reiterated its determination to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. While reaffirming its preference for diplomacy, it warned that other options remain on the table.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters on Monday that the Trump administration will not allow a nuclear Iran.

She accused Iran of being a key state sponsor of terrorism, supporting groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and al-Qaeda. She also pointed to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the US designates as a terrorist organization.

Referencing Trump’s message to Iran, she outlined Washington’s demands: Tehran must halt its nuclear escalation, end its ballistic missile program, dismantle its regional proxy networks, cease aggressive activities, stop repressing its own people, and abandon the destabilizing actions of the IRGC.