The Wall Street Journal published a piece on Israeli attacks in the area of the Caspian coast of Iran.
According to the publication, the Israeli strike on a maritime facility in the port of Bender-Enzeli in the Caspian Sea targeted a maritime supply route that Iran and Russia use for transporting munitions, drones, and other armaments. An Israeli military source confirmed in a conversation with "Maariv" that this was the first instance of the Air Force operating in this area.
The report states that this maritime route has become particularly important in recent years for the supply of "Shahed" drones, which are now produced in both Iran and Russia, along with munitions and other goods such as wheat and oil. The WSJ material also claims that cooperation between Moscow and Tehran has expanded during the war. This includes the exchange of satellite imagery and the enhancement of drone technology aimed at assisting Iran in strikes against American and other targets in the Persian Gulf.
According to the newspaper, the strike on the maritime route also has economic and civilian significance. Sources speaking with WSJ journalists reported that since military smuggling in the Caspian Sea is also linked to the trade of vital goods such as wheat, the strike could jeopardize Iran's food supply. The report also connects this to a strike on the "South Pars" gas field, which, according to the publication, affected a significant source of supply for civilian needs, including electricity generation and fertilizers.
Russia condemned the attacks in the Caspian Sea. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow called Bender-Enzeli an important trade and logistics center that Russia uses for civilian trade with Iran and warned against the spread of war to the Caspian Sea. According to the report, Moscow has been using this route since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 to deliver large volumes of artillery shells and other munitions from Iran to the front. In 2023, it was noted that more than 300,000 artillery shells and a million rounds of ammunition were transported from Iran to Russia via the Caspian Sea.
The WSJ also noted that this maritime route has posed an increasing problem for the United States and its allies, who have been trying to disrupt cooperation between Russia and Iran. According to analysts quoted in the article, Russian and Iranian vessels sometimes turned off their transponders while sailing, making it even more difficult to monitor them. The United States has imposed sanctions in recent years against Russian and Iranian entities, including companies, vessels, and individuals, which they claim were involved in the transfer of weapons and drones across the Caspian Sea.
Alongside this, the Wall Street Journal emphasizes that while the strike may temporarily disrupt the flow of arms and goods, it is expected not to completely eliminate this route. Experts quoted by the newspaper suggested that Iran and Russia could redirect some of the trade to other ports in the Caspian Sea. It was also noted that Israel avoided directly mentioning Russia when disclosing information about the strike in order not to escalate tensions with Moscow and not to push it towards more active involvement in the war.
