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Official Silence in Israel Over Sudan’s Accusations of Air Attack Official Silence in Israel Over Sudan’s Accusations of Air Attack
(about 2 hours later)
JERUSALEM — Israel maintained its official silence on Thursday over Sudan’s accusation that the Israel military was behind an air attack that destroyed a weapons factory in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital, early Wednesday.JERUSALEM — Israel maintained its official silence on Thursday over Sudan’s accusation that the Israel military was behind an air attack that destroyed a weapons factory in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital, early Wednesday.
But senior Israeli officials spoke openly about what they described as Sudan’s destabilizing role in the region, accusing it of serving as a transit point in a weapons supply route from Iran via the Sinai Desert to Palestinian militant groups in Gaza and other places like Lebanon.But senior Israeli officials spoke openly about what they described as Sudan’s destabilizing role in the region, accusing it of serving as a transit point in a weapons supply route from Iran via the Sinai Desert to Palestinian militant groups in Gaza and other places like Lebanon.
Israeli newspapers splashed reports from Sudan on their front pages on Thursday, and analysts posited that if Sudan’s accusations were true, Israeli warplanes would have flown an impressive 1,180 miles each way to carry out their mission, a feat, they said, that should serve as a warning to Iran. Israeli newspapers splashed reports from Sudan on their front pages on Thursday, and analysts posited that if Sudan’s accusations were true, Israeli warplanes would have flown 1,180 miles each way to carry out their mission, a feat, they said, that should serve as a warning to Iran.
While Iranian leaders have derided Israel’s veiled threats to strike at Iran’s nuclear facilities, some newspapers here carried maps showing that the distance from Israel to the major Iranian nuclear sites is about 200 miles shorter than the direct flight path from Israel to Khartoum.While Iranian leaders have derided Israel’s veiled threats to strike at Iran’s nuclear facilities, some newspapers here carried maps showing that the distance from Israel to the major Iranian nuclear sites is about 200 miles shorter than the direct flight path from Israel to Khartoum.
“The Iranians know how to exploit every area and every country that isn’t properly governed,” Moshe Yaalon, Israel’s minister of strategic affairs, told Israel Radio on Thursday. He added, “Sudan is a country of that kind.”“The Iranians know how to exploit every area and every country that isn’t properly governed,” Moshe Yaalon, Israel’s minister of strategic affairs, told Israel Radio on Thursday. He added, “Sudan is a country of that kind.”
A top Defense Ministry official, Amos Gilad, called Sudan “a dangerous terrorist state,” telling Israel’s Army Radio, “The regime is supported by Iran and it serves as a route for the transfer, via Egyptian territory, of Iranian weapons to Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists,” referring to the dominant militant groups in Gaza. A top Defense Ministry official, Amos Gilad, called Sudan “a dangerous terrorist state,” telling Israel’s Army Radio, “The regime is supported by Iran, and it serves as a route for the transfer, via Egyptian territory, of Iranian weapons to Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists,” referring to the dominant militant groups in Gaza.
On Thursday, Rabi Abd al-Ati, a member of the governing National Congress Party in Sudan, called the bombing of the factory “a terrorist attack” and said, “Israel does not respect international law.” He added that code numbers on the remains of rockets found by investigators proved that they were Israeli.On Thursday, Rabi Abd al-Ati, a member of the governing National Congress Party in Sudan, called the bombing of the factory “a terrorist attack” and said, “Israel does not respect international law.” He added that code numbers on the remains of rockets found by investigators proved that they were Israeli.
Asked about Israeli assertions that Sudan funnels weapons to Iran, Mr. Ati said, “Sudan does not have the capacity to support other countries with weapons; there is an embargo against us.” The United States imposed a trade embargo in 1997. Asked about Israeli assertions that Sudan funnels weapons from Iran to militant groups in Gaza, Mr. Ati said, “Sudan does not have the capacity to support other countries with weapons; there is an embargo against us.” The United States imposed a trade embargo in 1997.
A day earlier, Ahmed Belal Osman, the Sudanese minister of information, told reporters that four combat planes coming from the east had struck the factory, in the Yarmouk industrial complex, before dawn, The Associated Press reported. Another Sudanese official said two people were killed.A day earlier, Ahmed Belal Osman, the Sudanese minister of information, told reporters that four combat planes coming from the east had struck the factory, in the Yarmouk industrial complex, before dawn, The Associated Press reported. Another Sudanese official said two people were killed.
Israeli officials have been warning of an arms buildup in Gaza, saying that militants there had fired an antiaircraft missile at an Israeli aircraft for the first time, and missed, during a bout of cross-border violence this month.Israeli officials have been warning of an arms buildup in Gaza, saying that militants there had fired an antiaircraft missile at an Israeli aircraft for the first time, and missed, during a bout of cross-border violence this month.
In another surge of cross-border violence late Tuesday and Wednesday, Palestinian militants fired dozens of rockets out of Gaza into southern Israel and Israel carried out deadly airstrikes against rocket-launching squads, but the activity appeared to have subsided by Thursday.In another surge of cross-border violence late Tuesday and Wednesday, Palestinian militants fired dozens of rockets out of Gaza into southern Israel and Israel carried out deadly airstrikes against rocket-launching squads, but the activity appeared to have subsided by Thursday.
In another recent challenge to Israel, the Lebanese militant group and political party Hezbollah said that it had assembled and piloted an Iranian-designed drone 35 miles into southern Israel this month. Israeli forces shot the drone down.In another recent challenge to Israel, the Lebanese militant group and political party Hezbollah said that it had assembled and piloted an Iranian-designed drone 35 miles into southern Israel this month. Israeli forces shot the drone down.
In a television interview on Wednesday night, Ehud Barak, Israel’s defense minister, said, “I have nothing I can say about the matter.” It is not unusual for daring and provocative actions attributed to Israel to be greeted here with official silence, though the refusals to comment are sometimes accompanied by winks and nods. Asked about the explosion in Sudan Ehud Barak, Israel’s defense minister, said, “I have nothing I can say about the matter.” He added, “I do not want to respond and will try not to express my emotions.”
It is not unusual for daring and provocative actions attributed to Israel to be greeted here with official silence, though the refusals to comment are sometimes accompanied by winks and nods. Israel never admitted to the bombing of a Syrian nuclear reactor in 2007, nor has it commented on the killing of a Hamas operative, Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, in a Dubai hotel room in 2010, even after the Dubai police released surveillance video of the poorly disguised killers, along with their passport information, which in many cases was obtained fraudulently from dual citizens living in Israel. Israel never admitted to the bombing of a Syrian nuclear reactor in 2007, nor has it commented on the killing of a Hamas operative, Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, in a Dubai hotel room in 2010, even after the Dubai police released surveillance video of the poorly disguised killers, along with their passport information, which in many cases was obtained fraudulently from dual citizens living in Israel.
But Israeli analysts and commentators rarely hold back.But Israeli analysts and commentators rarely hold back.
“If the Sudanese are correct in what they are claiming, this would mean that the Israeli Air Force flew its longest-ever bombing mission in its history,” Ehud Yaari, an Israel-based fellow of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said in an interview. “If the Israelis can get to Khartoum undetected, this should signal something to the Iranians.”“If the Sudanese are correct in what they are claiming, this would mean that the Israeli Air Force flew its longest-ever bombing mission in its history,” Ehud Yaari, an Israel-based fellow of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said in an interview. “If the Israelis can get to Khartoum undetected, this should signal something to the Iranians.”
Alex Fishman, a military affairs analyst at the newspaper Yediot Aharonot, wrote, “The Iranians ought to be worried by Israel’s ability to deceive and achieve surprise at such a vast distance from home — if it was Israel that carried out the attack.” But he cautioned: “Sudan does not have the air defense systems that Iran has, mainly around its nuclear facilities. A flight over Iran or to Iran is a much more complicated affair.”Alex Fishman, a military affairs analyst at the newspaper Yediot Aharonot, wrote, “The Iranians ought to be worried by Israel’s ability to deceive and achieve surprise at such a vast distance from home — if it was Israel that carried out the attack.” But he cautioned: “Sudan does not have the air defense systems that Iran has, mainly around its nuclear facilities. A flight over Iran or to Iran is a much more complicated affair.”

Isma’il Kushkush contributed reporting from Khartoum, Sudan.

Isma’il Kushkush contributed reporting from Khartoum, Sudan.