2 Iranian Warships to Enter Suez Canal

A pair of Iranian warships bound for Syria has been granted clearance to travel through the Suez Canal, marking the first such passage since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. According to Reuters, the ships aren’t expected to enter the 120-mile canal until 6 a.m. Tuesday, however, the Tehran Times reported the two ships had already completed the estimated 11- to 16-hour journey from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. The Egyptian military approved the transit Sunday, which cost Iran $290,000. One of the ships, the Kharg, has a crew of 250, while the other, the Alvand, is armed with torpedoes and anti-ship missiles. Although Israel’s foreign minister called the passage “a provocation,” the Israeli newspaper Haaretz writes that the country’s military believes the ships do not pose a threat.