i24NEWS EXCLUSIVE: Islamic State Sinai gunmen seize arms shipment en route to Gaza

i24NEWS EXCLUSIVE: Islamic State Sinai gunmen seize arms shipment en route to Gaza

Gunmen from the Islamic State's (IS) Sinai Province seized a shipment of rockets that were supposed to be smuggled by arms dealers into the Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources told i24News Arabic on Tuesday.

According to the sources, the shipment -- which contains dozens of Grad missiles -- likely arrived in Libya from Iran, with the intention to reach Hamas or Islamic Jihad in Gaza.

The advanced missiles range from 37 to 50 miles and can reach the outskirts of Tel Aviv.

The sources further revealed that the IS militants seized the shipment on the 24th of August, after stopping a truck carrying the missiles, as well as a vehicle behind it with several arms smugglers inside.

Palestinian organizations in Gaza have a large number of Grad rockets, but their smuggling operations have declined since Egypt destroyed most of the border tunnels linking Sinai and the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israeli and Egyptian joint efforts in preventing smuggling into Sinai from Libya or the Red Sea, among others places, have also influenced Gaza's smuggling capabilities.

Most of the Grad rockets in the hands of Hamas and Islamic Jihad have a range of 37 miles, which has prompted the two factions to manufacture homemade rockets, as well as some previously smuggled missiles from Iran such as Fajr, Barq and others, which can hit Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities.

With most of the tunnels destroyed or sealed, Hamas's logistical support force has turned to exploiting the sea on the Egyptian border to smuggle explosives, iron and other materials used to produce rockets.

The sources added that IS had previously confiscated small shipments of arms destined for Gaza, as well as large quantities of cigarette packs intended for smuggling for Hamas-run merchants in Gaza. In light of this, Hamas apparently loses a significant amount of tax money.

Egypt delivers quantities of cigarette packets through Salah El-Din gate inside the Rafah crossing for the Gaza Strip.



Комментарии (0)

Оставить комментарий