Two Israeli missile ships crossed the Suez Canal on their way to the Red Sea, weekend reports in Arab media said. The reports said that Egyptian authorities held up other sea traffic in order to allow the Israeli ships to pass through.

If correct, this would be the first time that Egypt stopped other canal traffic in order to enable Israeli ships to pass through with full security, Israeli officials said. However, the officials said, this was not the first time Egypt had allowed Israeli weapons ships to pass through the canal.