Jerusalem Post – An Israeli Navy officer will be permanently stationed in Bahrain, the first time an IDF officer is set to be stationed in an Arab state.

(Thanks to Alain)

Times of Israel – The Israeli Navy will take part in a massive American-led naval exercise, which kicked off on Monday, alongside dozens of other nations, including some with which Israel does not have formal ties.

Naval News – The Israeli Navy maintains a high level of secrecy surrounding its submarine capabilities. And the latest boat, the INS Dragon, is more secretive than most. This may be driven by new weapon capabilities, possibly including a vertical launch system.

War Zone – Concept art of the Dakar class reveals an unusually long sail, which may indicate an upgrade to Israel’s second-strike nuclear deterrent.

(Thanks to Alain)

Time.News – Again an incident of a fire outbreak on an Israeli Navy vessel – and this time inside a submarine. Maariv has learned that on Tuesday last week a submarine fire broke out during technical treatment at a base in Haifa, apparently due to a human error by one of the technical staff.

(Thanks to Alain)

BBC – In a move almost unthinkable only three years ago, Gulf Arab navies have held their first joint military exercise with Israeli warships, co-ordinated by the US Navy.

Breaking Defense – American officials have continued to press their Israeli counterparts about espionage concerns related to a Chinese-built port in Haifa, suggesting that the Israelis conduct regular inspections of heavy machinery there to ensure nothing nefarious is afoot.

Defense News – Israel has received its fourth and final Sa’ar 6 warship as the country implements a new naval doctrine aimed at bolstering defensive capabilities in its exclusive economic zone.

Middle East Monitor – The Israeli navy yesterday received the third Sa’ar 6-class warship from Germany.

(Thanks to Alain)

I24News – A large explosion on a commercial ship moored in the Syrian port of Latakia took place on Tuesday afternoon. Some media report that the targeted ship is Iranian.

(Thanks to Alain)

Israel Hayom – Iranian news portal Nournews, a mouthpiece of the ayatollah regime in Tehran, reported on Monday that an Israeli Dolphin-class submarine secretly entered the Red Sea last Wednesday, August 4, through the Suez Canal. Reports on the movements and whereabouts of Israeli submarines are typically uncommon. According to Nournews, two Israeli Navy destroyers also crossed the Suez Canal at the same time, most likely as escorts for the submarine.

(Thanks to Alain)

US Naval War College Review – The strategic-military significance of the recent discovery of extensive natural gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean works against Israel’s traditional reluctance to become a sea power. But any “turn to the sea” will require adopting a broad national and strategic mind-set in the face of cultural constraints that keep Israel tied to the land.

Naval News – Sea Breaker, a 5th generation long range, autonomous, precision-guided missile system, enabling significant attack performance against a variety of high-value maritime and land targets.

(Thanks to Alain)

Jewish Press – The Israeli Defense Force reports that they destroyed 10 unmanned autonomous Hamas submarines. Each submarine carried 50 kilos of explosives and were designed to attack Israel’s offshore gas platforms. The submarines were guided by GPS systems.

(Thanks to Alain)

War Zone – Reports, as well as video and photos from the Eastern Mediterranean, demonstrate that the Gaza conflict is rapidly expanding into the maritime domain, with Israeli missile strikes now being launched from vessels off the coast against reported Hamas targets in the self-governing Palestinian territory. At the same time, reports from both sides in the conflict confirm that Hamas militants are meanwhile launching rockets against Israeli natural gas platforms in the Mediterranean, which, in turn, are being defended by shipborne Iron Dome air defense systems, and other assets.

Reuters – A commercial vessel owned by an Israeli firm was targeted near Fujairah port in the United Arab Emirates. Minor damage was caused to the vessel but no casualties.

(Thanks to Alain)

Guardian – The Iranian foreign ministry has confirmed that an Iranian cargo ship believed to be covertly deployed for military use off the coast of Yemen has been attacked, in an incident that threatens to inflame the maritime proxy war between Iran and Israel.

Defense News – France and Cyprus for the first time have joined the Israeli Navy-led Noble Dina naval exercise, which takes place annually but was canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Guardian – Israel has bombed at least a dozen ships en route to Syria during the past two years, most of which have been carrying Iranian oil.

CIMSEC – The Russian Navy’s presence and maritime control in the Mediterranean region threaten Israel’s vessels and aircraft operations, essentially constituting access denial operations carried out by the Russian Navy in the Mediterranean arena towards the Israeli Navy. 

Times of Israel – An examination of damage to an Israeli-owned cargo ship currently docked in Dubai indicates an explosion that hit it in the Gulf of Oman was caused by mines covertly attached to the ship.

(Thanks to Alain)

War Zone – Israel Aerospace Industries, or IAI, has secured what appears to be the first sale ever of the maritime version of its Harop loitering munition, or “suicide drone.” The company did not name the customer, but said that they were “the navy of a country in Asia.” Loitering munitions, in general, became a topic of major international discussion after Azerbaijan used Harops to decisive effect in its conflict with Armenia over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region last year.

War Zone – Israel has tested Iron Dome on these ships before, but we’ve never seen two launchers on one of their decks, and the timing is also peculiar.

Breaking Defense – An Israeli Dolphin submarine possibly carrying nuclear weapons crossed the Suez Canal last week on its way to the Persian Gulf, sources here confirmed on Dec 22. The submarine crossed the Suez Canal with Egyptian approval and sailed on the surface, a source said, “sending a clear warning to Teheran.”

Associated Press – Israel’s Navy on Wednesday welcomed the first of four German-made warships that will be at the vanguard of the country’s efforts to protect its coastline and growing natural gas industry.