Crossfire War - Iran Helps Hamas Fortify Gaza Strip - Bunkers - Tunnels

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By Willard Payne

Crossfire War - Tehran - Gaza Watch - West Asia Theatre: Tehran - Gaza City - Beirut - Damascus - Riyadh/Jerusalem - Cairo - Paris - Rome; Iran Helping Hamas to Fortify Gaza Strip in Preparation for Next War Against Israel - 120,000 Automatic Weapons - Underground Bunkers

Night Watch: GAZA - The New Zealand Herald reports Iran is helping Hamas fortify the Gaza Strip in preparation for the next war with Israel. Brigadier General Shalom Harari, of Israel intelligence stated, "They're digging bunkers and tunnels 20m (60ft) underground equipped with air conditioning. That's something the Iranians taught them." This is virtually identical to the preparations Tehran enabled Hezbollah to make for several years in south Lebanon before last summer's 34 day war. [BAZTAB]

How long the next war will last will depend on the extent of Israel's response which could be pre-emptive as in 1967. Since this is the greatest threat to Israel since 1948, Jerusalem may be very willing to use its nuclear weapons. When that happens the world will say Israel used its nuclear weapons first. Israel is by no means the only frontline state. Yuval Diskin of Shin Bet security service, said that in the last year Palestinian militants were able to smuggle an estimated 30 tons of weapons into Gaza through tunnels from Egypt. Obviously Egypt President Hosni Mubarak is not in contol of all of Egypt's military. Diskin also mentioned Iranian experts have arrived in Gaza, as there were Iranian officers serving with Hezbollah last year and found among the dead Hezbollah fighters. There are approximately 120,000 automatic weapons in the 40km (24 mile) Gaza strip, which is densely populated unlike south Lebanon.

Israel's attacks and raids into the West Bank have prevented Iran-Hamas and other Palestinian militant units from establishing major bases there. Gaza, though densely populated, is easier to seal off. But with Hamas now possessing rockets that can hit 20km (12 miles) into Israel and with their new armor piercing rockets, effective against tanks, then a lot of Gaza's population is going to experience martyrdom. Israel does not have much time for house to house fighting, especially with the serious threat to its north from Syria-Hezbollah.

Iran has been preparing Hamas for martyrdom by receiving and training a lot of its fighters for more than a year.

Night Watch Information Service
www.crossfirewar.com