JERUSALEM: An Israeli submarine sailed the Suez Canal to the Red Sea as part of a naval drill last month, defense sources said on Friday, describing the manoeuvre as a show of strategic reach in the face of Iran.

One source said the voyage was planned for months and so was not related to unrest after the June 12 re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

A defense source said the Israeli navy held an exercise off Eilat last month and that a Dolphin submarine took part, having traveled to the Red Sea port though Suez. "This was definitely a departure from policy," said the source.