Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman accused Iran of staging a "provocation" by sending a warship on a course to sail through the Suez Canal and past Israel's Mediterranean coast to Syria.

Israel's Defense Minister and U.S. officials, however, played down the significance of the plans, which Iran announced weeks ago. The Egyptian authority that runs the canal said no Iranian ship had traversed it or sought permission to do so. Israeli defense officials said the warship, sailing with a supply ship and reportedly taking cadets to a training exercise, posed no military threat.

Addressing a closed meeting of American Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, Mr. Lieberman declared that the ships were to cross the Suez within hours. He said the plan "proves that the self-confidence and chutzpah of the Iranians are growing from day to day," according to a text issued later by his office.

"To my regret, the international community is not showing readiness to deal with the recurring Iranian provocations," he added. "The international community must understand that Israel cannot forever ignore these provocations."

His remarks took the Prime Minister's aides by surprise, and Mr. Netanyahu didn't mention the Iranian ships in a later speech to the same audience, The Wall Street Journal reported.