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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran | |
| Iranian Instructors in Lebanon with new missile | |
| 2005-11-28 | |
| DEBKAfile Exclusive: Iranian military instructors have slipped into Lebanon with new missile to teach Hizballah how better to destroy Israeli tanks. The clandestine arrival of scores of Iranian Revolutionary Guards specialist instructors via Damascus is Tehran’s response to the shortcomings displayed by the Hizballah when it bombarded northern Israel on Nov. 21 - DEBKAfile’s military sources reveal. Our exclusive sources disclose they stole into the Hizballah’s Lebanese Beqaa Valley bases complete with two new weapons systems. Salt to taste One is the new Iranian Motemared (Rebel) anti-tank missile, exposed for the first time in the Middle East. The IDF is not familiar with this weapon, beyond that it is the Iranian version of the Russian K and capable of piercing protective anti-explosive belts 1100-1200 mm thick. It is an all-weather weapon, day-or-night and wire-guided. The missile does not work well where there are tall trees, high electricity wires or water pipes, but is at peak effectiveness in open country of hills and valleys such as South Lebanon. The surprise the Iranians brought with them was a mockup of an Israel Merkava (Chariot) tank. No one knows where it was manufactured or from what materials. Intelligence watchers report it is an exact replica of the real thing.
The Iranian instructors have set up base at three farms in the Yanta Vadir al Ashair region of the Beqaa valley, where they are instructing Hizballah operatives. They have obviously studied the Hizballah video shots from the bombardment, which depicted an unmanned Israeli tank taking heavy pounding from Sagger missiles without sustaining damage or bursting into flames. The Iranians decided that the Motemared was the answer for destroying an Israeli Chariot. They also seem to have drawn lessons from Iraq where Sunni guerrillas have found ways to disable heavy US M1 Abrams tanks. The day after its bombardment, Shiite terrorists withdrew troops from the border region. Israeli commanders thought at first it was a tactical retreat for regrouping. Later it turned out the operatives had gone to the Iranian training camps, to study the Chariot’s vulnerabilities and how to use the new missile against them. The way Iranian RG officers were able to cross into Lebanon from Syria, set up training bases and smuggle in weapons systems shows how little has changed in Lebanon since the Syrian army was ousted. Notwithstanding the UN probe into the Hariri murder, UN Security Council resolutions expelling foreign armies from the country and US-French efforts to help Lebanon recover its sovereignty, Syria and Iran can still make free of Lebanese territory. This episode also shows how closely Israel’s armed forces are watched by Iran and the speed at which its strategists are capable of drawing operational lessons. | |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #7 At some point the Iranians really need to be sent a "thank you note" for all their meddling. Find out where the anti-tank round is manufactured and have a large portion of that industrial complex "collapse" under its own weight. I'd much prefer to hear that the IDF identified the training center for this new weapon and then cratered everyone and everything for a mile around it. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2005-11-28 21:46 |
| #6 Boy would I dearly love to see those blackhats come down with Ebola. |
| Posted by: Whuse Angoluns5118 2005-11-28 21:33 |
| #5 An Israeli newscast of the Hizballah video can be seen here: http://video.nrg.co.il/lib/wmv/399/871.wmv It shows 2 ATGM hits on the side armor and turret of an older Merkava(3?) followed by an RPG hit, along with an RPG bombardment of the post. All three hits looked ineffective. Were the post guards not paying attention for Hizballah to get within a few hundred meters of the post? Also January 2000: Iran Begins Batch Production of Russian Anti-Tank Missile |
| Posted by: ed 2005-11-28 17:28 |
| #4 It is an all-weather weapon, day-or-night and wire-guided. The missile does not work well where there are tall trees, high electricity wires or water pipes, but is at peak effectiveness in open country of hills and valleys such as South Lebanon. Debka's still free isn't it. Sounds like they may have invented the Sagger. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-11-28 17:19 |
| #3 "DEBKAfile’s military sources reveal." Lord knows they've never been wrong. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2005-11-28 16:35 |
| #2 "One is the new Iranian Motemared (Rebel) anti-tank missile, exposed for the first time in the Middle East." Have we seen any of these in Iraq? Or is Iran too coy to support the Hajis that openly? |
| Posted by: Xbalanke 2005-11-28 15:21 |
| #1 Sauce for the goose. For its part, Israel has been working on improving relations with the Kurds. And for every improved military toy the Iranians can fabricate, the Israelis have the capability to make a dozen. This article probably serves notice to the Iranians that the Israelis not only know that they are doing, but that by being blown, their covert operation demands a quid pro quo. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-11-28 15:19 |