Pentagon: Syria's hundreds of missiles make it a 'regional threat'

Geo Strategy Direct ^ | 1/13/2010 | Geo Strategy Direct

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

The U.S. intelligence community has determined that Syria has become a regional missile threat. Officials said the intelligence community has concluded that Syria could attack every one of its neighbors with short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. They said the Syrian surface-to-surface weapons could be enhanced with biological and chemical warheads.

"All of Syria's missiles are mobile and can reach much of Israel and large portions of Iraq, Jordan and Turkey from launch sites well within the country," a report by the Defense Department said.

The Pentagon report, citing assessments by its Defense Intelligence Agency, said Syria's missile arsenal consists of several hundred Scud-class and SS-21 ballistic missiles. DIA was said to have determined that CW warheads could or have been installed on some of the missiles.

"Syria also presents a regional threat," the report, titled "The Ballistic Missile Defense Review," said.

The report said Iran or Syria could transfer missiles to the Lebanese-based Hizbullah. Hizbullah was said to have acquired 40,000 missiles and rockets and fired nearly 5,000 rockets during the 34-day war with Israel in 2006.

"Hizbullah, for example, has already acquired and used rockets for the delivery of conventional munitions against Israel," the report said. "The advent of ballistic missile threats from such terrorist organizations would raise profound new questions about regional security."

[Army Air Corps]

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