Defense Minister Israel Katz says the arrival of the Israeli Navy's sixth submarine, INS "Drakon," this evening, is a message to Iran.

After around 12 years of planning, construction, and testing, INS Drakon made a 3,792-nautical-mile (around 8,000 km) voyage of 23 days from Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems' shipyard in Kiel, Germany, to the Haifa Naval Base.

“The submarine’s arrival is an important message to all those who seek to threaten us, foremost among them the murderous Ayatollah regime in Tehran," says Katz at a ceremony for the arrival of INS Drakon.

He says Israel "will continue to build capabilities to thwart threats, while our enemies clearly understand a fundamental principle: Distance does not grant immunity, not in the air, not on land, and not at sea."

"The Navy has been a full partner in all the achievements across the various combat arenas, as well as in other arenas that cannot be discussed," Katz says, adding that "one thing is clear to us all: the Navy’s role is growing, and in the future, it will grow significantly more.”