Russian arms transport sparks fears of wider Mideast conflict

German daily "Bild" reports that a Russian Il-76, typically used by Russians to transport weaponry, landed in Tehran over the weekend. Additionally, Russian propagandists are spreading theories that this is connected to Moscow's involvement in Iran's planned attack on Israel.

The situation in the Middle East is the most tense it has been in months, threatening further escalation of the ongoing conflict on various fronts between Israel and Iran, as well as their allies, Palestinian Hamas, Lebanese Hezbollah, and the Yemeni Houthi movement.

On Tuesday, Hezbollah military leader Fuad Shukr was killed in an Israeli attack on Beirut. On Wednesday, in an attack on Tehran also attributed to Israel, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed. Both Iranian and Hezbollah leaders, as well as Palestinian Hamas, have announced their intentions to retaliate.

German "Bild" reports that a Russian Il-76, used for transporting weaponry, landed in Tehran over the weekend. The newspaper suggests that Russian S-300 anti-aircraft system elements might have been on board.

Additionally, "Bild" emphasizes that Russian propagandists are spreading rumors on the Telegram network, suggesting that Moscow might get involved in Iran's retaliation against Israel.

The newspaper stresses that there is no evidence to support these claims, but the cooperation between the Kremlin and Tehran is no secret. This cooperation intensified after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. The Russians are using, among other things, Iranian-made kamikaze drones—Shahed drones—in Ukraine, which are deployed for night raids on targets within Ukraine.

Israel is preparing for anticipated attacks by Iran and Hezbollah. According to media reports, ministers have been given satellite phones, and a bunker has been prepared for the command. A new alarm system for the population has also been tested, and the Ministry of Transport is organizing cruises for those stranded due to canceled flights.

The military command responsible for civil defense has completed tests of a new alarm system for the population. The system sends SMS warnings to all cell phone holders in a given area. It will help in emergency situations, such as a rocket attack on Israel. Additionally, Israel has an alarm siren system, and in the case of a threat, warnings are also visible in the civil defense app and broadcast in the media.

Source: "Bild"/PAP