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Last update - 15:32 28/03/2009
Sudan strike targeted weapons believed capable of hitting Tel Aviv
By Amos Harel, Barak Ravid and Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent and News Agencies
Tags: air strike, Iran, Israel news 

Alluding to what foreign media reports say was an Israel Air Force strike in Sudan in January, outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned Thursday that no place is out of Israel's reach.

The air strike reportedly hit a convoy of Iranian arms passing through Sudan en route to the Gaza Strip.

Israeli officials declined to confirm or deny Israel's involvement in the air strike in Sudan. They also refused to comment on the various foreign media reports about the strike.
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Any Israeli decision to attack such a distant target would likely have been based on the belief that Iran could deliver arms into Gaza, possibly including 70-kilometer-range Fajr rockets.

That range would allow Hamas operatives to strike into the heart of Israel, Tel Aviv, from their Gaza bases.

"We operate everywhere we can hit terrorist infrastructure - in nearby places, in places further away, anywhere we can strike them in a way that increases deterrence," Olmert told a conference in Herzliya.

"Everyone can use their imagination. Those who need to know, know there is no place where Israel cannot operate. Such a place doesn't exist," he said.

Channel 10 television broadcast an interview with a Sudanese minister's adviser who said that targets on or near Sudanese territory were bombed twice, and the second air strike destroyed a ship carrying Iranian arms.

Mubarak Mabrook Saleem, Sudan's State Minister for Transportation, told The Associated Press he believed American planes were behind the bombings, which he said took place about a week apart.

He also claimed hundreds of people from several African states had been killed. The U.S. denied any air strike on Sudan.

Arab and U.S. media reports said that Israel was behind the attacks, since the convoys were smuggling weapons destined for Gaza. Hamas, which rules Gaza, smuggles weapons into the Strip through tunnels along the Egyptian border.

Due to the intensive international activity to prevent arms smuggling to Gaza that followed Operation Cast Lead in the Strip earlier this year Egypt began sending forces to its border with Sudan after that operation in an effort to prevent smuggling into Gaza. The alleged Israeli air strike also contributed to Iran's decision.

The Iranians are concerned over the memorandum of understanding signed between Israel and the United States to combat smuggling into Gaza, the source said. Eight NATO members also said they would join the anti-smuggling effort.

The Iranians see the recent interception of the arms ship Monchegorsk, which was en route to Syria, as a warning of the difficulties they are likely to face in delivering arms, the source added. That ship, which was carrying arms from Iran to the Syrian army, was stopped in Cyprus following American pressure and its cargo was confiscated.

The source said the Iranians, who established smuggling networks via the Persian Gulf, Aden and east Africa, with an emphasis on Sudan. In the past the Iranians have tried to smuggle arms via Turkey. The routes planned to move weapons in planes, trucks and trains, and from Turkey to Syria and from Syria to Lebanon. A few of these shipments were caught by Turkish security services working against the smuggling.

A senior intelligence source said: "The Egyptians are patrolling the border and inspecting it," he said. "They weren't doing that until now. They started doing it because of the increased international pressure to act against the smuggling. But so far, the results are only partial."


Related articles:
  • Olmert: Gaza war won't end until rockets and smuggling stop
  • Despite IDF resistance, France urges European observers to monitor Gaza
  • Sarkozy: Halt to arms smuggling is key to Gaza cease-fire
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      1.   I know a place where Israel cannot reach,and it is Iran 03:38  |  Analyst 27/03/09
      2.   Ok I believe it now 03:42  |  Kareem 27/03/09
      3.   Partial Results 04:21  |  JohnnyBoy 27/03/09
      4.   Iran is out of control 04:31  |  Peter Williams 27/03/09
      5.   cannot reach 05:01  |  Truth 27/03/09
      6.   The Obvious 05:18  |  Rambo 27/03/09
      7.   Those smuggle weapons to kill Jews must be on trail not Israel* 05:23  |  Akram Zekaria 27/03/09
      8.   Kareem I`m not sure it will advance whatsoever 05:29  |  Reno 27/03/09
      9.   Now It`s Two Air Strikes A Week Apart? 05:47  |  Jeff Northridge 27/03/09
      10.   Kareem: "It is just one more reason to advance a peace deal" 05:51  |  Akram Zekaria 27/03/09
      11.   Answer to Analyst 05:51  |  Gilles 27/03/09
      12.   Answer to Analyst 05:51  |  Gilles 27/03/09
      13.   #1 You`re not much of an analyst 06:29  |  Conroy 27/03/09
      14.   So come get us Olmer 06:32  |  nassir 27/03/09
      15.   Isreal is out of control 06:41  |  Scott G 27/03/09
      16.   "second airstrike destroyed a ship carrying Iranian arms" 06:45  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/03/09
      17.   #4, Peter Williams 06:53  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/03/09
      18.   Understanding 06:55  |  Nechama 27/03/09
      19.   By any definition Israel is a rogue regime 07:00  |  Joe 27/03/09
      20.   TO BE AT WAR FOREVER 07:03  |  indrajaya 27/03/09
      21.   Yet another reason this Sudan regime is evil and needs to go! 07:16  |  Fix the Sanctions! 27/03/09
      22.   Kol Ha Kavod Israel, Egypt, US! 07:17  |  Down with Bashir 27/03/09
      23.   unreliable sources 07:28  |  George 27/03/09
      24.   I guess your problems are solved 07:39  |  Colin Wright 27/03/09
      25.   very unreliable sources 07:46  |  George 27/03/09
      26.   Typical Israeli Propaganda 08:03  |  Clickfool 27/03/09
      27.   Read the news Analyst 08:14  |  Gregor 27/03/09
      28.   Analyst.....Israel can reach Iran!!!! 08:20  |  Maria 27/03/09
      29.   You`re against Israel! You thought Iran could destroy 08:23  |  Maria 27/03/09
      30.   Mahdi is coming to judge Ahmadinejad! 08:24  |  MMM 27/03/09
      31.   4 Peter, You coward! Don`t you DARE blame Iran 13:02  |  lydia 27/03/09
      32.   Weapons have been dropped in barrels and floated to egypt to gaza 19:15  |  david 27/03/09
      33.   Lydia 2nd try 01:08  |  Peter Williams 28/03/09
      34.   33 Peter, Israel is the harbinger of Wars 04:06  |  lydia 28/03/09
      35.   Iran is playing Israel 11:54  |  ben 29/03/09
      36.   CJK #17 (again) 15:06  |  Peter Williams 29/03/09
      37.   Lydia you are a comedian surely? 15:47  |  Peter Williams 29/03/09
      38.   37 Hasbara spin, next you`ll blame the Brits for the bombing 02:41  |  lydia 30/03/09
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