Crossfire War – TEHRAN WATCH – West Asia Theatre: Tehran – Beirut – Damascus/Jerusalem; Iranian Arms Convoys from Two Syrian Ports Supply Hezbollah with Iranian Shahab – 1 Missile – 230 Mile Range – Beqaa Valley
Night Watch: BEQAA VALLEY – Debka reports that as the UN and European nations discuss the finer points of the UNIFIL force to be deployed into southern Lebanon, Iran is sending daily convoys of arms to Hezbollah bases in the Beqaa valley in northern Lebanon, one of the most heavily bombed places by the Israeli Air Force. Tehran – Damascus are acting as if UNIFIL does not even exist except on paper. The arms convoys are loaded at two Syrian ports, Latakia and Tartus, which means that during the next round of fighting Israel will have to extend its air and naval blockade to include Syria. Iran is also sending 3-5 air cargos every day to Syrian air bases near the Lebanese border. [DEBKA]
What makes these latest developments even more ominous is that the missiles being shipped into Beqaa are not the ones used previously by Hezbollah during the first round. The new missile is the Iranian Shahab-1 with a range of 230 miles (350 km), the Iranian version of the Russian Scud-B. With its range all of Israel can be hit by its one ton,- 2,000 lb. warhead. There is now an Iranian Military Command Center on the Syrian side of its border with Lebanon directed by four Iranian generals.
Jerusalem would be making a huge mistake if they allow the build up to go on much longer. Condemnations by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan are much less damaging than large scale missile attacks. The Beqaa Valley will probably be the first place Israel uses its nuclear arsenal. Conventional bombs will be enough to destroy Iran’s embassies in Beirut and Damascus.
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