Iran helps Syria improve missiles

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/?pageId=55890

JERUSALEM – Iran recently aided Syria in improving a missile capable of better targeting Israeli installations, including military bases and the country's international airport, according to Israeli intelligence briefings this week provided to top Knesset members.

The lawmakers were also told Syria has greatly accelerated its acquisition of missiles and arms, including anti-tank, anti-aircraft and ballistic targeting missiles.

The briefing follows a WND exclusive report yesterday quoting Israeli and Jordanian defense sources stating Syria, aided by Russia and Iran, in recent months has been furiously acquiring rockets and missiles, including projectiles capable of hitting the entire state of Israel. The officials listed anti-tank, anti-aircraft and ballistic missiles as some of the arms procured by Syria.

Knesset members were told Iran worked with Syria to improve the Iranian Zelzal missile, which has a range of about 155 miles and is considered one of the most accurate projectiles in Syria's arsenal.

Defense officials speaking to WND said Russian engineers were involved in the Zelzal improvement process.

The move comes amid reports of Syria's stepped-up pace of acquiring arms.

A Jordanian security official said one of the main reasons Damascus did not retaliate after Israel carried out its Sept. 6 air strike inside Syria allegedly targeting a nascent nuclear facility was because Syria's rocket infrastructure was not yet complete.

The official said that after the Israeli air strike, Syria picked up the pace of acquiring rockets and missiles, largely from Russia with Iranian backing, with the goal of completing its missile and rocket arsenal by the end of the year. The Jordanian official said Syria is aiming to possess the capacity to fire more than 100 rockets into Israel per hour for a sustained period of time.

"The Syrians have three main goals: to maximize their anti-tank, anti-aircraft and ballistic missile and rocket capabilities," explained the Jordanian official.

According to Israeli and Jordanian officials, Syria recently quietly struck a deal with Russia that allows Moscow to station submarines and war boats off Syrian ports. In exchange, Russia is supplying Syria with weaponry at lower costs, with some of the missiles and rockets being financed by Iran.

"The Iranians opened an extended credit line with Russia for Syria with the purpose of arming Syria," said one Jordanian security official.

"Russia's involvement and strategic positioning is almost like a return to its Cold War stance," the official said.

Both the Israeli and Jordanian officials told WND large quantities of Syrian rockets and missiles are being stockpiled at Latakia, Syria's main port on the Mediterranean Sea, as well as at Syria's Tartus port, another major port area south of Latakia and north of Damascus.

Syria's new acquisitions include Russia's S-300 surface-to-air missile defense shield, which is similar to the U.S.-funded, Israeli engineered Arrow anti-missile system currently deployed in Israel. The S-300 system is being run not by Syria but by Russian naval technicians who work from Syria's ports, security officials said.

New ballistic missiles and rockets include Alexander rockets and a massive quantity of various Scud surface-to-surface missiles, including Scud B and Scud D missiles.

Israeli security officials noted Syria recently test-fired two Scud D surface-to-surface missiles, which have a range of about 250 miles, covering most Israeli territory. The officials said the Syrian missile test was coordinated with Iran and is believed to have been successful. It is not known what type of warhead the missiles had.

In addition to longer range Scuds, Syria is in possession of shorter range missiles such as 220 millimeter and 305 millimeter rockets, some of which have been passed on to the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah.

Israel has information Syria recently acquired and deployed Chinese-made C-802 missiles, which were successfully used against the Israeli navy during Israel's war against Hezbollah in 2006. The missiles were passed to Syria by Iran, Israeli security officials told WND.

Russia recently sold to Syria advanced anti-tank missiles similar to the projectiles that devastated Israeli tanks during the last Lebanon war, causing the highest number of Israeli troop casualties during the 34 days of military confrontations. Syria and Russia are negotiating the sale of advanced anti-aircraft missiles.

Apparently confirming the information, Mossad Chief Meir Dagan told the Knesset Monday that Syria's military recently has accelerated its acquisition of arms. He did not list specific new weapons or disclose information about Russia's involvement.

"The military alliance between Damascus and Tehran has accelerated the arms race in the region," said Dagan at a meeting of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Dagan stated Syria's moves do not necessarily indicate the country is likely to strike at Israel.
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