وول ستريت»: إسرائيل قصفت منظومة دفاع جوي إيرانية متطورة بسوريا
18 نيسان/2018 /الشرق الأوسط أونلاين»
قالت صحيفة وول ستريت جورنال الأميركية نقلا عن مسؤولين بالاستخبارات إن الغارة الإسرائيلية على قاعدة تيفور الجوية في سوريا الأسبوع الماضي، قد استهدفت منظومة دفاع جوي إيرانية متطورة، وليس مجرد هجوم على طائرة من دون طيار. وأفادت الصحيفة في تقريرها المنشور اليوم (الأربعاء) أن رئيس الوزراء الإسرائيلي بنيامين نتنياهو قد أعطى الأوامر بشن الهجوم بعدما تحدث مع الرئيس الأميركي دونالد ترمب، وذلك على أمل منع إيران من استخدام بطارية مضادة للطائرات ضد المقاتلات الإسرائيلية التي تنفذ غارات بسوريا. واعترف مسؤول عسكري إسرائيلي في تصريحات صحافية مطلع هذا الأسبوع باستهداف بلاده لقاعدة تيفور، وقال: «إنها المرة الأولى التي نهاجم فيها أهدافا إيرانية حية من منشآت وأشخاص». وأفادت «وول ستريت جورنال» بأن إيران بدأت في تعزيز دفاعاتها في أعقاب التصعيد الذي حدث جراء إرسالها طائرة من دون طيار إلى الأجواء الإسرائيلية، وأسقطت إسرائيل الطائرة وانتقمت بشن غارات داخل سوريا، والتي أسقطت خلالها مقاتلة إسرائيلية من طراز «إف – 16». وقال المسؤول العسكري الإسرائيلي إن الحادثة «فتحت حقبة جديدة»، مضيفاً: «إنها المرة الأولى التي نشهد فيها إيران تقوم بشيء ما ضد إسرائيل وليس عن طريق وكلائها».
وكشفت الصحيفة الأميركية أن إسرائيل تعقبت طائرة إيرانية تحمل منظومة الدفاع الصاروخية «Tor» من طهران إلى تيفور، وتحركت إسرائيل سريعا لتدميرها قبل تثبيتها، بحسب مسؤولي الاستخبارات.وقتل سبعة إيرانيين من فيلق القدس بـ«الحرس الثوري»، ومن بينهم قائد وحدة الطائرات من دون طيار العقيد مهدي دهقان.
Revealed: Israel ‘Struck Advanced Iranian Air-defense System’ in Syria
Haaretz/April/ 18, 2018/According to Wall Street Journal report, attack drones weren’t the only target – Netanyahu conferred with Trump before ordering strike on Tor missile system at T4 base in Syria. The Israeli military targeted an advanced Iranian air-defense system at the T4 base in Syria last week and not just attack drone deployment, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. The report noted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strike after conferring with U.S. President Donald Trump, in hopes of preventing Iran from using the anti-aircraft battery against Israeli jets carrying out strikes in Syria. Haaretz previously reported that the strike apparently targeted armaments aside from the drones, which could have reduced the Israel Air Force’s freedom of operation in Syrian airspace. Earlier this week, a senior Israeli military official admitted to New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman that Israel targeted T4, adding that “it was the first time we attacked live Iranian targets – both facilities and people.” According to the Wall Street Journal, Iran began bolstering air defenses following an escalation triggered by Iran sending an armed drone into Israeli airspace. Israel shot down the drone and retaliated with strikes in Syria, during which an Israeli F-16 war plane was downed. The Israeli official told the New York Times that the incident “opened a new period,” adding that “this is the first time we saw Iran do something against Israel – not by proxy.” The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel tracked an Iranian plane flying a Tor missile system from Tehran to T4 following the flare-up. The report notes that Israel moved quickly to destory Iran’s new defense system before it could be set up, citing intelligence officials. Seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force members, including drone unit commander Colonel Mehdi Dehgan, were killed in the strikes on T4.
Israel Releases Maps, Photos of Iranian Military Locations in Syria
Asharq Al Awsat/Ramallah – Kifah Ziboun/Wednesday, 18 April, 2018/The Israeli military released on Tuesday maps and aerial footage of Iranian military positions in Syria, in what was interpreted as a new Israeli threat against Tehran. The release of the images came at a time when Iran was preparing for an anticipated retaliation to Israel strikes against Syria’s T-4 airbase in Homs last week. The strike left 14 people dead, including seven Iranians. Israel accused Tehran of taking up base in Syria and seeking all possible efforts to entrench itself there. “Iran is transferring to Syria several combat methods under the pretense of delivering humanitarian aid,” said an Israeli military official. The air force linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards has since 2015 been carrying out routine flights to Syria, he continued. Tehran is focusing in particular on air power in order to be able to directly confront Israel in case of an escalation, similar to what happened two months ago, he explained. In February, Israel downed an Iranian drone after it had infiltrated its airspace. Israel said last week that the aircraft was loaded with explosives and ready to carry out an attack against it. The images released by the Israeli military showed Iranian bases and airports in Aleppo, Deir al-Zour and Damascus. Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Russian aircraft are present at these facilities, said the army. They are dedicated to delivering rockets and ammunition to the Lebanese “Hezbollah” group, as well as launching drones operated by the Guards. Israel acknowledged on Monday that it had carried out the T-4 airbase strike, saying it was in retaliation to the February drone incident. Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Monday: “We will not tolerate a significant Iranian military force in Syria in the form of military ports and airports or the deployment of sophisticated weaponry.””We will maintain total freedom of action. We will not accept any limitation when it comes to the defense of our security interests,” he warned.
