Gun-running ship sunk by Israeli military in 1948 located intact 1,650 feet underwater
August 25, 2026 / 1:15 PM EDT / CBS/AFP
TL;DR
- The wreckage of the Altalena, an arms-smuggling boat sunk by Israeli forces in 1948, has been recovered intact.
- The Altalena was carrying weapons for the Irgun, a militant Zionist force, and its sinking by the Israeli military aimed to consolidate state authority.
- The incident resulted in casualties and exposed divisions between paramilitary groups and the nascent Israeli military, contributing to political divides that persist today.
- Heritage Minister Amihai Eliyahu announced the discovery, calling it a 'deep national wound' and highlighting Menachem Begin's role in preventing civil war.
- A monument to the Altalena militants was erected in 2008, and Israel has been searching for the wreckage for years.