JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel accused Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Monday of turning commercial ships into launchers for missiles, drones and special forces, saying the aim was to spread its naval influence beyond the Gulf region.

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POLITICS SECTION

23 MAY 2023

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's allegations came as tensions escalated between the two regional rivals over Iran's nuclear program and Tehran's support for Palestinian and Lebanese armed groups.

Showing photos of six allegedly repurposed Iranian ships, Gallant told the Herzliya Security Conference forum that these were "floating bases of terror" and that one of them had recently sailed towards the Gulf of Aden.

"This comes directly in the wake of the maritime terrorism practiced by Iran in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea. It is working to expand its activity to include the Indian Ocean as well, and later to the Red Sea and the Mediterranean as well," he added.

There has been no response yet from Iran.

The past two years have seen Iran and Israel trade accusations of responsibility for a series of attacks on their ships in the Gulf. No one has claimed responsibility for those attacks.

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