Israel bombed Iranian convoy in Sudan: report

Israeli warplanes and unmanned drones bombed a group of arms convoys in the Sudanese desert in mid-January following an informant's tip off that a massive shipment of weapons, organized by Iran, was headed to Gaza, U.S. press quoted two top Israeli security sources as saying.

The report, published in Time magazine Monday, said Israel attacked a 23-truck convoy that contained Iranian rockets and explosives headed to Gaza via Egypt during Israel's 22-day offensive.

The sources denied earlier reports that a ship and second convoy were involved in the attack and said although it was a "major operation" with "dozens of aircrafts" there was only one raid, which was planned in less than a week after an informant tipped off Israel's Mossad spy agency that Iran was planning to deliver 120 tons of arms and explosives to Gaza.

Mobilize Europeans

Israeli officials were tight-lipped about the alleged raid with Israeli Defense Forces spokewoman, Major Avital Leibovitz, saying the sources were unknown and therefore did not warrant an official response.

The Ministry of Defense also refused to comment to AlArabiya.net.

An official of Hamas, the Islamist movement that governs Gaza, told the magazine that the reports of 23 trucks were exaggerated.

"The Israelis are trying to overplay the quantity of arms as a way to justify this raid, and to mobilize the Europeans to crack down on smugglers in the Mediterranean," the weekly magazine quoted an unnamed official as saying.

The alleged convoy of explosives was said to have included anti-tank rockets and Fajir rockets with a 25-mile (40-kilometer) range and a 99-pound (45-kilogram) warhead.

The Israelis are trying to overplay the quantity of arms as a way to justify this raid, and to mobilize the Europeans to crack down on smugglers in the Mediterranean

Hamas official

American involvement

The sources also told the magazine that although American officials were told about the raid no U.S. aircrafts were involved.

"The Americans were notified that Israel was going to conduct an air operation in Sudan, but they were not involved," one of the sources told Time.

According to an expert on Israeli-Arab relations, the US. had already sanctioned the attack in Janurary when Foreign Minister Tzipi Livini and then U.S. Secretary of State Condelezza Rice signed an accord allowing Israel to detect and intercept the smuggling of arms into Gaza.

"This was signed in January and soon after Israel's attack on the convoy on Sudanese lands took place," Imad Gad from the Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies told AlArabiya.net.

Gad noted that Sudan's silence on the attack when it took place in January indicates that the governement was involvement in the arms operation.

"Sudan remained silent because it could neither deny it was involved nor admit it played a role in allowing the convoy to go through its territory," Gad said.

Sudan remained silent because it could neither deny it was involved nor admit it played a role in allowing the convoy to go through its territory

Israeli-Arab relations expert

Warning Iran

The magazine reported that the raid on Sudan was intended as a warning to Iran and other foes, demonstrating Israel's willingness to act upon its intelligence and strike beyond its borders.

"This was the first time that the Iranians had tried to send Hamas a shipment this big via Sudan -- and it is probably the last," a source said, claiming that several Iranians, as well as Sudanese smugglers and drivers were killed in the raid.

"No doubt the Iranians are checking back to see who might have leaked this to the Israelis," the source said.

Hamas leader, Salah al-Bardawil, told AFP: "First of all we are not sure any convoy has been hit, but it is ironic to link these convoys to Hamas."

"Should it turn out that there were raids and a high number of people killed, this would mean Israel is seeking to use the opportunity to blame Hamas and hit Sudan," he added.

This was the first time that the Iranians had tried to send Hamas a shipment this big via Sudan -- and it is probably the last

Israeli source