Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Israel's allies should pay close attention to the situation. We expect the international community to act speedily with determination against the Iranian provocations, designed to deteriorate the situation in the area, and put the Iranians in their place, he said. The Israeli Defense Ministry said it was monitoring the movement of the Iranian ships and alerted its allies. The Suez Canal is a key waterway for international trade. It connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, allowing ships to navigate between Europe and Asia without having to go around Africa. Millions of barrels of oil move through the Suez every day en route to Europe and North America.