Joint naval exercise with Greece
Israeli missile boats and vessels from several Hellenic Navy units conducted a joint Mediterranean exercise this week. The drill was described as an apparent message to Turkey.
The exercise was led by Israeli Navy chief Vice Adm. Eyal Harel and his Greek counterpart, Vice Adm. Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras, alongside Hellenic National Defence General Staff chief Gen. Dimitrios Choupis.
The IDF said the forces “practiced a variety of operational scenarios,” including “identifying and thwarting threats in the maritime domain, sailing as a joint force, and sinking an enemy vessel using missile fire.”
“The exercise constitutes another step in deepening operational cooperation between the Israeli Navy and the Hellenic Navy, with the aim of strengthening joint readiness and preserving freedom of action in the Mediterranean,” the military said, adding that it “marks a significant leap forward in naval military cooperation between the two countries.”
Harel said “the strategic partnership with Greece is a significant force multiplier, strengthening our ability to operate together, defensively and offensively, to safeguard security and freedom of navigation in the Mediterranean.”
Preplanned defense drill before the election
The IDF announced an exercise simulating a multi-front attack for Sunday and Monday in northern and central Israel, ahead of the national election. The Israeli Air Force, Northern Command and Central Command will participate, with increased security-force and aircraft activity expected in those areas.
The military said the exercise “aims to practice and improve the IDF’s readiness for multi-front defense along the borders and preparedness to transition to an escalation.”
Troops will rehearse “a variety of scenarios, including a surprise attack and infiltration into Israeli territory by air and land,” while implementing lessons from the October 7 onslaught. The IDF said the drill was planned in advance and that there is no concern over a security incident.
Lebanese Army intercepts weapons shipment
The Lebanese Army said it thwarted an attempt to smuggle weapons and ammunition from Syria into Lebanon across the northern border.
Authorities have not identified the intended recipient. Previous smuggling cases along the border have involved shipments reportedly destined for Hezbollah.
Coral Oil sanctioned over supplies to Hezbollah-owned company
Defense Minister Israel Katz imposed a sanction on Coral Oil through the Defense Ministry’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing (NBCTF). According to the ministry, the company supplied approximately 130,000 liters of diesel and gasoline to Al-Amana, a Hezbollah-owned fuel company designated a terrorist organization by the NBCTF in 2020.
The ministry said fuel supports Hezbollah’s operational and logistical activities, including transporting weapons and military components, powering generators and sustaining underground infrastructure. It described the transaction as part of the commercial supply chains enabling Hezbollah’s operations and terrorism against Israel.
Coral Oil is registered in the United Kingdom, operates through its Lebanese branch and is owned by Lebanon’s A. Yamin Group. According to the ministry’s account of company documents, it belongs to a wider family-linked fuel and international trade network whose intercompany dealings amount to hundreds of millions of dollars.
The sanction forms part of a broader campaign against Hezbollah’s financing and supply networks. The ministry said that although fuel is a legitimate commercial product, supplying a Hezbollah-owned company connects commercial activity to the organization’s logistical infrastructure, a link the sanction aims to sever.
