Earlier this morning Israeli commandos boarded an Iranian vessel in the Red Sea carrying an arms shipment destined for Gaza and the Sinai. According to Reuters, the Panamanian-flagged cargo vessel Klos C was boarded in international waters without resistance from its 17-strong crew, who may have been unaware of the cargo they were carrying. Israeli Defense Forces spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Lerner told reporters that the ship was carrying dozens of M302 rockets. “The M302 in its most advanced model,” said Lerner, “can strike over 100 miles, and if they would have reached Gaza, ultimately that would have meant millions of Israelis under threat.”

Those weapons may have been meant to target Egyptians as well as Israelis. Egypt’s military-backed government is effectively at war with both Sinai-based and Gaza-based Islamist organizations, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Hamas, say Egyptian security officials, is backing the Sinai-based groups in their attacks on Egyptian soldiers and policemen. And accordingly Egyptian security officials explain that now they have their own Muslim Brotherhood under control after deposing President Mohamed Morsi, they will turn their attention to Gaza and Sinai. However, the IDF raid this morning shows that this is likely more empty boast than reality.