Wreckage of Altalena arms ship, sunk in 1948 power struggle, discovered

Israeli ministers have confirmed that the wreckage of the Altalena has been located on the seabed. The ship, which was carrying a cargo of arms for the Irgun militia, was sunk off the coast of Tel Aviv in June 1948 on the orders of then-Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. The incident remains one of the most painful turning points in Israeli political history, symbolizing the deep rift between the nascent central government and paramilitary forces during the state's formation. Sixteen Irgun members and three Israeli soldiers were killed during the confrontation. The discovery of the wreckage, following decades of searching, has reignited historical discourse surrounding the event within Israeli society.