Article

2006-08-18 Israel-Palestine-Jordan

Officials: U.S. blocked missiles to Hezbollah

The United States blocked an Iranian cargo plane's flight to Syria last month after intelligence analysts concluded it was carrying sophisticated missiles and launchers to resupply Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, two U.S. intelligence officials say.

Eight days after Hezbollah's war with Israel began, U.S. diplomats persuaded Turkey and Iraq to deny the plane permission to cross their territory to Damascus, a transfer point for arms to Hezbollah, the officials said.

The episode was detailed by one U.S. intelligence official who saw a report on the incident. It was confirmed by a U.S. official from a second intelligence agency and by a diplomat with a foreign government. They did not want their names used because they were not authorized to discuss the incident.

Which was probably classified.

The Iraq and Turkish governments would not discuss the incident. Iran's United Nations mission denied trying to send Hezbollah weapons. The intelligence officials did not provide reports, satellite photos or other evidence to corroborate the sequence of events. Their account could not be independently verified.

July 15: Three days after the war began, a source tipped off U.S. intelligence about an imminent shipment of missiles from Iran to Hezbollah.

July 19: A spy satellite photographed Iranian crews loading three missile launchers and eight crates, each normally used to carry a Chinese-designed C-802 Noor missile, aboard a transport plane at Mehrabad air base near Tehran. Israel says Hezbollah fired a C-802, a precision-guided anti-ship cruise missile, at an Israeli warship off Lebanon's coast on July 14.

July 20: The Ilyushin Il-76 transport plane left for Damascus, but Iraqi air-traffic controllers denied it permission to enter Iraq's airspace. The Iranian flight crew then requested permission to fly over Turkey. Turkish controllers granted permission but only if the plane would land for an inspection. The plane returned to Tehran, where the military cargo was unloaded.

July 22: The plane flew humanitarian aid to Damascus after stopping for inspection in Turkey.

Though the missiles were not visible in the satellite photos, the launchers and specialized crates with distinctive shapes allowed U.S. analysts to identify the missile type, the intelligence officials said.

Is there anything we do that won't be leaked? Either the press thinks this is an amusing game, or they are on the other side. Or both.

Posted by KBK 2006-08-18 11:41|| || Front Page|| [11134 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 "Is there anything we do that won't be leaked? Either the press thinks this is an amusing game, or they are on the other side. Or both."

The members of the MSM won't find it too assuming, especially over at the seditious Grey Lady if the day ever comes that a Pakistani cargo ship slips into New York's harbor bearing a nuke inside its cargo bay.

Posted by Lancasters Over Dresden 2006-08-18 12:08|| http://www.michaelcalderonscall.com/HomePage.asp]">[http://www.michaelcalderonscall.com/HomePage.asp] 2006-08-18 12:08|| Front Page Top

#2 Prefer that the US just shoots down the freakin transport carrier.

Posted by Captain America 2006-08-18 12:34|| 2006-08-18 12:34|| Front Page Top

#3 When/if the Paki container ship detonates in NY harbor, the MSM will be wetting themselves with glee blaming the evil Chimpy McHitlerBurton regime for not doing more to protect us. Leakage and blaming is all jolly fun as long as you are outside the blast radius.

Posted by SteveS 2006-08-18 13:28|| 2006-08-18 13:28|| Front Page Top

#4 The members of the MSM won't find it too [amusing], especially over at the seditious Grey Lady if the day ever comes that a Pakistani cargo ship slips into New York's harbor bearing a nuke inside its cargo bay.

Nah, I think they would take great personal pride in thinking "It's Bush's fault that only x% of containers are checked! I TOLD YOU SO!" even as the flesh was burned from their bones. "Gotcha!" right to the end.

It's just their nature to treat politics as the game of the elite sophisticate. To put it another way, politics is to them what fantasy football and sports talk radio is to us lesser folk. What's scary is they seem so assured that there is nothing at stake for them personally in the broader conflict. It's all about the Republican/Democrat horserace.

It's Bush's War after all, not theirs.

Posted by eLarson 2006-08-18 16:05|| http://larsonian.blogspot.com]">[http://larsonian.blogspot.com] 2006-08-18 16:05|| Front Page Top

#5 Israeli air strikes reported over Lebanese-Syrian border Friday night after Iran and Syria resume rocket consignments to Hizballah. This is not confirmed officially by either side

August 18, 2006, 10:54 PM (GMT+02:00)

The warplanes are said to have targeted weapons and rocket supply trucks northeast of Baalbek. Correspondents in Beirut report Lebanese forces opened anti-air fire on Israeli warplanes flying over E. Lebanon.

During the week, Israel kept Washington abreast of the Iranian-Syrian re-supply operation and was informed that if the Israeli government decides to destroy the incoming supply vehicles, the Bush administration will not interfere.

Posted by Legolas 2006-08-18 16:06|| 2006-08-18 16:06|| Front Page Top

#6 (dang. Missed #3, brevity and wit and all that...)

Posted by eLarson 2006-08-18 16:06|| http://larsonian.blogspot.com]">[http://larsonian.blogspot.com] 2006-08-18 16:06|| Front Page Top

#7 To put it another way, politics is to them what fantasy football and sports talk radio is to us lesser folk.

Damn, that's good.

Posted by 6 2006-08-18 18:18|| 2006-08-18 18:18|| Front Page Top

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