Israel says Iranian warships have been patrolling the Red Sea

Israel's defense minister said on Tuesday that Iranian warships have been patrolling the Red Sea in recent months, and called it a threat to regional stability.

"Today, we can confirm that Iran is methodically basing itself in the Red Sea, with warships patrolling the southern region," Defense Minister Benny Gantz said at a roundtable event in Athens.

"In the last months, we have identified the most significant Iranian military presence in the area, in the past decade," he said. Gantz's office said he presented satellite images of four Iranian warships patrolling the Red Sea.