Iran's Spies Watching Us, Says Israel

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 4-4-2006 | Con Coughlin

[blam]

Iran's spies watching us, says Israel

By Con Coughlin Defence and Security Editor, on Israel's northern border
(Filed: 04/04/2006)

Iran has set up a sophisticated intelligence gathering operation in southern Lebanon to identify targets in northern Israel in the event of a military confrontation over its controversial nuclear programme.

Senior Israeli military commanders say Iran has spent tens of millions of pounds helping its close ally, Hizbollah, the Shia Muslim militant group that controls southern Lebanon, to set up a network of control towers and monitoring stations along the entire length of Israel's border with south Lebanon.

Some of the new control towers, which are made of reinforced concrete and fitted with bullet-proof reflective glass, are less than 100 yards from Israeli army positions and are clearly visible for long stretches along Israel's border.

"This is now Iran's front line with Israel," a senior Israeli military commander said. "The Iranians are using Hizbollah to spy on us so that they can collect information for future attacks. And there is very little we can do about it."

The Israeli military has reported a significant increase in Hizbollah activity in southern Lebanon since Syria came under intense international pressure to withdraw its forces from the area last year following the assassination of the Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.

Israeli military officers report that teams of Iran's Revolutionary Guards travel regularly to southern Lebanon to help train local Hizbollah fighters in terrorist tactics. Tensions between Iran and Israel have intensified dramatically since the election last summer of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as Iran's new leader.
Israel has repeatedly threatened to take military action to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, and the new Iranian government has responded by calling for Israel's destruction.

Senior Israeli military officers believe Iran is deliberately exploiting the power vacuum caused by Syria's withdrawal to intensify pressure on Israel's northern border.

Hizbollah is aware that Israel is keen to maintain friendly relations with the new government in Lebanon and believes it can act freely in southern Lebanon without provoking retaliatory strikes from Israel.

Officers report a sharp increase in border incidents between Hizbollah fighters and Israeli units on the northern border, with the main flash points located at the disputed Druze village of Ghajar, which is divided by the border between Israel and Lebanon, and Mount Dov, which Hizbollah also claims should be part of Lebanon.

The situation is now regarded as so serious that many senior Israeli officers openly admit to missing the restraining influence of Syria over Hizbollah.

"When the Syrians were in Lebanon it was easy for us to control Hizbollah," said an officer with Israel's northern command. "If things got too tense we could put pressure on Damascus and the Syrians would act quickly to calm things down."

Although the Lebanese government technically controls the border area, its military is not considered strong enough to control Hizbollah, which takes its orders directly from Teheran.

"Iran is playing a very dangerous game of cat and mouse on our northern border and it could easily spiral out of control at any moment," said the officer.

In recent weeks Hizbollah sent unmanned aircraft on reconnaissance missions over the border to photograph sensitive Israeli military installations. The spy planes returned to base before being detected by air defence systems.

In addition to providing intelligence-gathering and communications equipment, Iran has also equipped Hizbollah with improved weapons and ammunition to launch attacks against Israel, including heavy mortars and rockets with a range of up to 30 miles.

[mmercier]

made of reinforced concrete and fitted with bullet-proof reflective glass

Better be howitzer proof reflective glass. These things will be smoking rubble minutes before any Israeli jet lifts off for Iran.

[El Gato]

Some of the new control towers, which are made of reinforced concrete and fitted with bullet-proof reflective glass, are less than 100 yards from Israeli army positions and are clearly visible for long stretches along Israel's border.

I think I'd choose to "lose" a few smart bombs, maybe some old Laser Guided Bombs due to be replaced with something newer.

[gotribe]

It's going to be fun to watch the US and Israel take out hizbollah whenever it happens, an absolute blow-out.

[blam]

"It's going to be fun to watch the US and Israel take out hizbollah whenever it happens, an absolute blow-out."

Yup. It's my thought that it isn't that far off.

[Mike Darancette]

I'm sure Israel is not spying on Iran. /sarc

[Wiz]

ping

[Salem]

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"Palestine is the wrong name for their State. It should be called Anarchy."—FReeper sgtbono2002
"Then let's wait and see what the Arabs do after they take Gaza. There's nothing like Arab reality to break up a Jewish fantasy."—FReeper Noachian
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[SevenofNine]

Yeah that thread on FR going be 5,000 posts or MORE when that happen BETTER YET when Israel get chance to smackdown Iran that 10,000 post thread LOL!

[takeemout]

"Iran is playing a very dangerous game of cat and mouse on our northern border and it could easily spiral out of control at any moment," said the officer.

Oh how ready I am for that moment to see smoke rising from the desert, I mean from Iran, as a result of Israeli F-15s changing the landscape!

[M. Espinola]

Assad's Damascus may very well become the largest parking lot replacing the 'former' capital of Syria.

In conjunction with dealing Hizballah & their Iranian bankrollers a devastating blow, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PA's self detonating jihadic zombies, coupled with any other Arab Islamic death cults bordering Israel will also be on the receiving end of long over due justified reciprocity for all their vicious plots of terrorism, so adversely effecting thousands of innocent Israeli citizens.

Tehran's brutal Mohammedan madmen will wish they never threatened to "wipe Israel off the map".

Iran's super battleship...

A video grab of a grey craft with a white nose and white 'feet' travelling on water in Iran, April 4th, 2006. Iran successfully tested a 'super-modern flying boat' on Tuesday and the land-to-sea Kowsar missile that military analysts say is designed to sink ships in the Gulf, state media reported.

[Convert from ECUSA]

Ping!