Israeli warships cross Suez Canal

JERUSALEM, July 15 (UPI) -- For the second time in weeks, two Israel navy warships crossed the Suez Canal and headed to the Red Sea, military officials said.

The action was seen as a warning to Iran, local media reported.

Israeli army officials confirmed missile boats had sailed through the international waterway, just weeks after a Dolphin class submarine and missile boat crossed the canal to take part in maneuvers in the Red Sea, Maariv said Wednesday.

One of the ships spotted Tuesday crossed the canal last month, the paper said. The canal is considered to be the fastest route for navy vessels traveling from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea or Persian Gulf, the paper said.

Responding to the report, Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said his country permits warships to sail through the canal as long as they have no hostile intentions, The Jerusalem Post said.

Israel has two reasons for maintaining a naval presence in the Red Sea, Haaretz said. To halt arms smuggling from Iran to the Gaza Strip, which it said mainly takes place by sea from Iran to Sudan and overland via Egypt. The second reason the paper said is to boost Israel's deterrence against Iran.