Iran Prepares For War With Israel And U.S.

Filed under: Front Page, USA, Israel, war, Iran, Hezbollah, Lebanon

The authoritative Middle East News Line has confirmed that Iran has ordered preparations for war with Israel and the United States.

In the first such order, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has ordered its more than 300,000 troops to prepare for a confrontation with Israel and the United States. IRGC has directed as well as participated in the Hezbollah war against Israel.

“Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards and Basij [a branch of the IRGC] should prepare themselves to get even with Zionists and Americans,” IRGC commander Maj. Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi said. “The supreme leader [Ali Khamenei] will announce the time for this.”

Safavi said Iran would avenge Israeli air attacks on Lebanon. He said the Israeli military was aided by aircraft and weapons from the United States.

“We have to keep this sacred hatred of the enemies of Islam alive in our hearts until the time of revenge comes,” Safavi said on July 30. “I hope our nation can one day avenge the blood of innocent people in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan. I ask God to arouse the dignity of Muslims and destroy America, Israel and their associates.”

Yesterday, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki discussed strategy in Beirut with Hezbollah and Lebanese leaders. Mottaki’s visit, welcomed by France, took place as the Lebanese leadership was said to have drawn closer to Iran during the current war with Israel.

Western intelligence sources said IRGC has deployed nearly 1,000 soldiers in Lebanon, many of them along the border with Syria. The sources said IRGC officers participated in the battle against Israel for Bint Jbail, about three kilometers from the Jewish state.

So far, Iran has denied that it sent fighters to Lebanon. But Teheran has reported efforts by so-called volunteers to aid Hezbollah.

“We haven’t deployed any forces there [Lebanon],” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said. “If we choose to give them future military support, we will announce it. We have no fear of Mr. [U.S. President George] Bush and company.”

Meanwhile, reliable Iranian sources report that Hezbollah has established a submarine unit trained by Iran to strike Israeli naval facilities along the Mediterranean Sea.

Hezbollah operatives have been trained as frogmen and operators of mini-submarines that could penetrate Israeli defenses. They said Iran plans to supply several such mini-subs to Hezbollah for sabotage operations as well as attacks on Israeli shipping.

“Hezbollah has already established a submarine unit as well as naval commandos who could land almost anywhere along the Israeli coast,” an Iranian source said.

The sources said the IRGC has overseen the effort to build Hezbollah’s navy. They said IRGC has produced mini-subs as well as procured commercial underwater platforms that could be transformed to military use.

Hezbollah has also established a naval commando unit, the sources said. They said the unit has acquired and operated Chinese-manufactured speed boats.

Hezbollah, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, USA, war

Posted by Ted Belman @ 6:48 pm |