Crossfire War - Hamas Being Transformed into Regular Army by Tehran

By Willard Payne

Crossfire War - TEHRAN WATCH - West Asia Theatre: Tehran - Gaza/Jerusalem; Iran Prepares Hamas for Next Round of Fighting - Iranian Adivsors Transforming Hamas into Regular Army Unit

Night Watch: GAZA STRIP - Debka reports that head of Israel's Shin Bet, Yuval Diskin has informed the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense committees that Iranian advisors are transforming Hamas into a military organization along the same lines as Hezbollah, including a formal chain of command, fortified bunkers and tunnels. Tehran is also having smuggled, through the Egypt-Gaza Strip border, Katyusha and Grad rockets, bypassing European inspectors and Egyptian police. [DEBKA]

Hamas has now become another extension of Iran's military. Tehran obviously wants Israel to be engaged again on two fronts as in the first round of fighting. With the new equipment and preparations the second round will definitely be more severe and devastating. Though Iran will not commit many of its own units to this front they want the armed units they support to be capable of heavy action and for at least a month, I suspect next month to coincide with increased fighting on the Indian subcontinent and the resumption of fighting in the Balkans over Kosovo.

During that month Tehran will monitor the impact the next round has on the region, especially to the extent the increasingly popular Islamic radicalism continues to undermine Egypt President Hosni Mubarak, as he proudly refuses to work with Iran in any way since he has always hated Islamic fundamentalism and Tehran's government since Khomeini overthrew the Shah in 1979.

Night Watch Information Service
http://www.crossfirewar.com

   _   _