Tel Aviv: The INS Komemiyut (Israel Navy Ship Independence) LSV (landing craft) arrived in Israel and will be operationally integrated into the Israeli Navy. The ship finished its voyage from the port of Pascagoula in the United States and docked at the Israeli Navy Base in Haifa.

It is the second such naval landing craft to be acquired by the Israel Navy from the US in the past eight months.

The vessel's entrance to the State of Israel's territorial waters was accompanied by Israeli Navy vessels in a "missing" formation, this in memory of the fallen soldiers from the "Swords of Iron" war.

Chief of the Israel Navy, Vice Adm David Sa'ar Salama said, "Today, at the same time as the intense fighting of the IDF fighters in the various sectors, the sea arm received a vessel of strategic significance for the State of Israel. In these historic moments we salute our brothers in arms who fell during their supreme mission to maintain the security of the State of Israel."

To the crew of the INS Komemiyut he added, "today you have completed a voyage of thousands of miles. The end of the voyage is the beginning of the road for you. Your future actions will lead to strengthening the cooperation between the arms, increasing the range of operations and maintaining the security of the State of Israel."

(With Inputs From International Agencies)