Posted on 07/15/2006 8:15:40 AM PDT by george76
A missile fired by Hezbollah, not an unmanned drone laden with explosives, damaged an Israeli warship off Lebanon, the army said Saturday.
Elite Iranian troops helped fire the missile...
One sailor was killed and three were missing.
The intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the information, said about 100 Iranian soldiers are in Lebanon and helped fire the Iranian-made, radar-guided C-102 at the ship late Friday.
The official added that the troops involved in firing the missile are from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, an elite corps of more than 200,000 fighters that is independent of the regular armed forces and controlled directly by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Initial information indicated the guerrillas had used a drone for the first time to attack Israeli forces.
But the army's investigation showed that Hezbollah had fired an Iranian-made missile at the vessel from the shores of Lebanon, said Brig. Gen. Ido Nehushtan.
"We can confirm that it was hit by an Iranian-made missile launched by Hezbollah. We see this as very profound fingerprint of Iranian involvement in Hezbollah,"...
(Excerpt) Read more at story.news.ask.com ...
No surprises here. Hizbullah was founded by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Hizbullah can not be separated from Iran.
I have not seen any reports of counter battery fire.
That launch site should have been destroyed by another ship or the air force.
Immediately.
Anyone want to let Iran get a nuclear bomb?
It may have been, remember the press only reports bad news. Also it may have been obvious that the site was abandoned. A couple of spent missile tubes might not have been worth risking air assets. Although I probably would have flattened it just out of spite.
That's why this seems so unusual. The Israelis have air superiority. I'm thinking drone here...That ship would have a massive hole if successfully hit by a C-802.
"...the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, an elite corps of more than 200,000 fighters"
And probably the only part of the Iranian military that Ahmadinejad and the mullahs can trust.
The Iranians have had the C-802 for some time. Since they are a principal threat to Israel, and since Hezbollah is openely supported by Iran, I canot imagine Israel not being trained and prepared for that threat.
I seem to recall reading a report a couple of years back that the Revolutionary Guards were manning missiles in southern Lebanon.
Exactly, as I have stated several times on numerous thread. It came in from the aft side, low and fast. But the Barak missile system, which this ship is equipped with two 32 cells of, should also have been able to engage and take down this missile. I do not know if any were launched. My guess is that it ame in very low, and they had little time to respond and for some reason, their data linked assets were either not operational or also missed the missile.
It may well have been a command failure as i doubt they were expectng top of the line seaskimming crusie missles from them
If that ship was there off the coast, then they were as prepared as they could be. It is their best and clearly, for it to be there protecting the gun ships doing the shore bombarment, they were concerned about serious anti-air threats. If the commanding officer or the higher commands failed and did not take the threat seriously, precisely for which that ship was designed, some heads are going to roll.
<p.
They will learn from it...as will we. But then again, so will our enmeies.
If that ship was there off the coast, then they were as prepared as they could be. It is their best and clearly, for it to be there protecting the gun ships doing the shore bombarment, they were concerned about serious anti-air threats. If the commanding officer or the higher commands failed and did not take the threat seriously, precisely for which that ship was designed, some heads are going to roll.
<p.
They will learn from it...as will we. But then again, so will our enmeies.
now they have the perfect excuse to go in and bomb those Iranian nuke plants.. oh boy the Islamic terrorists just keep stepping in it.
"When I see "Debka" and "sources" in the same sentence the first thing that comes to mind is "pure fiction."
I don't know, I think it was Debka that first reported on Iranian Revolutionary Guards placing missiles in southern Lebanon. I believe this was about two years ago.
why was the EW gear turned off? That is seems very odd for what is taking place there.
Israel is a small county. They already spend 7.7% of their GDP into their millitary. More will be not possible except the US are buying them a aircraft carrier (sarcasm).
And only 3 tiny German subs? .... We should begin producing diesel electric subs, reviving the Barbel class has been proposed. Huge market, especially from Israel and Taiwan, who have difficulty getting them from the Europeans afraid they might offend the Chinazis or Muslims.
Just do it if you are able to. The problem might be that modern AIP systems and other stuff for D/E-subs needs decades to develop. Even such a advanced nation like the US can't do that in the short time those nations would need the backup.
BTW to your claim we would not back Israel because we are afraid to offend some Muslims - Germany did more for Israel than anybody else recently since we gave them the second-strike-abillity:
The former German chancellor Helmut Kohl decided to equip Israel with 2 new Dolphin Class submarines for free after realizing the eminent threat through Iraqi chemical weapons in the early 90ties. In 1995, Germany and Israel finalised an agreement for a third submarine, that was paid by half through Germany.
In the fall of 2005, Israel and Germany reached an agreement for the purchase of two additional submarines from Germany. One third of the 1 billion euro cost will be donated by Germany while the rest will be paid for by Israel. These boats are exptected to be similar to the advanced Type 214 or Type 212A submarines, modified to about 2,000 ton displacement and propelled by AIP systems. Press reports have also indicated that Israel is interested in outfitting its existing Dolphin fleet with AIP systems and other upgrades.
The Dolphin class is a non-nuclear type of submarine developed and constructed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG (HDW) for the Israeli Navy. It is the predecessor to and similar in design to the German Type 212 submarine. The Dolphin boats are considered to be some of the most sophisticated and capable conventional submarines in the world. Since the US have no modern conventional submarines in their production Israel is completely reliant on European deliveries, since they lack the technology and abilities to build such advanced equipment on their own.
The Dolphins are equipped with the nuclear armed Popeye Turbo cruise missle system. This gives Israel a nuclear second strike abillity against agressive countries like Pakistan, Iran or Syria and is a fundamental part of the security of Israel. It is the sure one way ticket to hell for all Mullahs who think that they could wipe out jews and judaism on this planet. More helpful than all unrealistic dreams about "beheading-strikes" with inapplicable Israeli planes in Iran or elsewhere.
The ships were by large parts a gift of Germany. Maybe we Europeans are not consent with every American or Israeli operation, but we try to be helpful.
We'll just have to wait for more info and over time it will come out. Either way...the Israelis put that vessel there. It was designed to protect against this type of attack. It was in combat and should have been all fired up and ready. If the command failed, and they discounted the threat environment, then someone will be relieved, and the next guy will be more than ready.
Just my thoughts on the matter.
Bump for quick chore
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.