Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz (Blue and White) on Tuesday revealed that in 2018, Iran attempted to transfer explosives to Judea and Samaria, by sending them via drone through Syria.
Speaking at the Herzliya Conference at Reichman University, Gantz said, "Iran attempted to transfer, by means of unmanned drones, explosive materials from Syria to terrorists in Judea and Samaria."
He also exposed bases in Qeshm and Chabahar in southern Iran which are used for naval attacks by means of UAVs.
Addressing the international community, Gantz presented the various methods of action used by Iran, and its basic ambition to become a global hegemon able to force its radical ideology. He also emphasized the cooperation and crucial pact with the US and other countries in the world.
Israel, Gantz said, is not "a lone nation, and the Iranian threat is not just against her. Iran wishes to become a regional hegemon, and after that a global [hegemon], and impose an extremist ideology, in which human rights are trampled, LGBTs are hanged, women are oppressed, and resources are redirected to the regime."
"Their methodology is to take over unstable countries like Yemen, which ranks last in the 'fragile countries' index, similarly to Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon. The method is clear: 'First we take Damascus, then we take Berlin,'" Gantz emphasized.
Gantz revealed two major bases in the Chabahar region and on the island of Qeshm in southern Iran, used to carry out maritime attacks, and for storing Shahed type UAVs.
He added, "Iran is acting outside the region as well, passing crude oil and weapons to Venezuela, operating its Quds Forces in South America and trying to infiltrate its influence into Afghanistan. Iranian terrorism is exported under the directive of Khamenei and the regime's top leaders."
"One of the central tools is UAVs, which are a precise weapon capable of striking strategic targets at a distance of thousands of kilometers, and therefore this ability already endangers the Sunni countries, international forces in the Middle East, as well as countries in Europe and Africa," Gantz emphasized.
"In February 2018, Iran launched a Shahed m141 type UAV from T4 airport in Syria, which carried TNT explosives. The UAV was intercepted near Beit She'an [in Israel] and its destination was, according to our assessments, terror operatives in Judea and Samaria. Iran not only uses UAVs to attack, but also to deliver weapons to its proxies."
With regard to the responsibility of the international community, Gantz said, "In facing the [Iranian] threat, the world has many tools it may employ, and it must add a Plan B to the diplomatic option. We will continue to work in full cooperation with our American friends and with additional countries. The international community has the tools as well as an interest in stopping Iran, which harms the [global] economy, foreign policy, security and moral values."
"There is no doubt that a diplomatic solution is preferable, but alongside it, the use of force should be on the table – since it is the continuation of diplomacy by other means. Sometimes the use and demonstration of force can prevent the need for an even stronger use of force. I thank our American friends for the sanctions and actions taken recently in this regard, in order to reach our common goal."