Gallant hails Navy’s ‘very impressive’ submarine drill

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited a drill carried out by the Israeli Navy’s submarine flotilla this week, his office says.

Speaking from the deck of one of the submarines, Gallant says the 7th Flotilla has been “operating since the beginning of the war in all arenas, close to the coast, far from the coast, in the Mediterranean Sea, in the Red Sea and all over the Middle East.”

“We are seeing here a small part of Israel’s secret, strategic capabilities, very impressive things. And I want to say here to the citizens of Israel: You have someone you can trust,” he adds.

According to the Defense Ministry, Gallant was joined by the head of the Navy, Vice Adm. David Sa’ar Salama, the commander of the Ashdod Naval Base, Cpt. Eitan Paz, and the commander of the 7th Flotilla, Cpt. “Aleph” — who can only be identified by his rank and first initial in Hebrew.

Gallant was briefed on the submarine flotilla’s activities across the Middle East in recent months, his office adds.