Iran was set to deliver sophisticated weaponry to Hezbollah in Lebanon in preparation for an expanding confrontation with Israel, including precise weapons, mostly rockets, missiles and drones, to be used against Israeli cities and sensitive sites.
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As the U.S. was supplying Israel with military aid, so is Iran delivering weapons to its regional allies, in transports through the Damascus airport mostly, while other weapons transports arrive through other locations.
The frequent strikes on Syria in recent days, attributed to Israel, were for the most part intended to thwart such transfers from Iran, that were meant to increase the number of precise missiles, anti-tank missiles and air defenses including the Iranian made surface to air 358 missiles also called SA-67) that can intercept drones, planes low flying aircraft and missiles, available to Hezbollah.
Iran had already supplied its Lebanese proxy with a substantial stock of missiles which have been used by Hezbollah against Israeli drones recently but have thus far failed to shoot any down. Israel has been able to intercept the 358 missiles using its air defenses.
Reza Mousavi, the senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps official who was assassinated in Syria earlier in the week, had been coordinating between Iran and Hezbollah and was responsible for the supply of drones used by the pro-Iran militias in Iraq and Syria, in attempts to target Israel. Those attempts were made both from Syrian and Iraqi territory and included an attempt to target the Karish natural gas rig off the coast of Mediterranean cost of Israel.
The IDF revealed images of the drone being shot down over Lebanon as it was making its way toward Israel but did not confirm what its ultimate target was. Hours after the images were released, the pro-Iran militias in Iraq said the target "was in the Mediterranean Sea."
IDF intercepts UAV targeting gas rig
(IDF)
The militias claimed they attack was successful and a source told the Qatari Al Jazeera network that the Karish gas rig had been hit. No such event has been known to occur and the gas rig had not been attacked in the days leading up to the release by the IDF.
Mousavi was a high-ranking member of the IRGC and one of the "long-time advisors" in Syria. He reportedly had regularly accompanied slain IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani, killed in an American strike in 2018.
He had been living in Syria for the past 30 years and had an office in the Syrian Defense Ministry. He had been reported in the past, to have taken part in "logistical transfers," between Iran, Syria and Lebanon and was claimed to have also been in charge of the transfer of funds from Iran to Syria and the monthly payment to members of Hezbollah.
First published: 12:44, 12.29.23