Published 22 May 08
[Originally published at Middle East Times, 14 May 08]

Octopus Iran sets its tentacles into Lebanon

Hezbollah's microwave communications system

by Professor Rabbi Daniel M. Zucker
World Defense Review contributor

The Islamic Republic of Iran has just extended its power into Lebanon through its completion within the last 90 days of a new microwave communications system, ostensibly meant as an aid to its ally, Hezbollah—in reality its local proxy militia.

However, the communications system, which the pro-western Lebanese government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora tried to dismantle, touching off the current round of warfare between Hezbollah and the Sunni-Christian-Druze coalition led by Saad Hariri, is much more important than a private phone system for Hezbollah. My source, a high ranking military communications staff member, informs me that the microwave communications system is a high density military data transmission link that connects all Hezbollah missiles in Lebanon directly to Tehran with telemetry directed by the Sepah-e Qods of the Pasdaran (Qods Force Unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps), the same group that was recently designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. Department of State[1] (October 25, 2007). With this microwave link in place, Tehran can activate within three minutes its mobile units of Fajr-5[2] and Shahab-3[3] missiles.

My sources indicate that the 2006 Israeli destruction of south Beirut and southern Lebanon gave Iran and Hezbollah a perfect excuse to come in and reconstruct the Hezbollah strongholds.[4] However, now everything was upgraded with immense interconnected underground tunnels placed under all the reconstructed areas. These tunnels are used to store and transport the rockets. As was common in the 2006 war, rockets would be launched from amidst such dense population areas. Additionally, all major buildings, including public housing complexes, have the lowest underground basement level reserved for the location of the transponders. Located in such positions, any attack to destroy the transponders or to knock out additional rockets would result in horrific collateral damage to civilian Lebanese Shiite populations, a guaranteed propaganda coup for Hezbollah and Iran.

All the reconstructed buildings of Beirut, in their last and highest levels, are housing the microwave antennas and IF and BB repeaters of this data link, and the system is completely and exclusively controlled by the Iranian Qods Force personnel deployed in Lebanon. These microwave links are carried on the IntelSat satellites. The "BK 15" relay station, installed in 2002, was purchased by a Lebanese company located in Marseilles, and now is controlled by Hezbollah.

Reports[5], earlier this year, of massive excavations in the reconstruction projects in southern Lebanon would appearto indicate that Iran has supplied Hezbollah with an extensive set of tunnels both north and south of the Litani River, from which Hezbollah can launch missiles when Iran chooses for it to do so. Not only is Israel at risk, but all pro-Western Arab governments in the area, as is the Suez Canal, and of course, American troops in Iraq. The importance that Tehran attaches to this microwave link is vividly demonstrated by the regime's propaganda in its daily media.[6] With this strategic base, Iran has established itself on the Mediterranean. Is anyone in Washington, London, or Paris paying attention? Ignore this threat long enough and 9/11 will seem, by comparison, like a picnic in the park.

Professor Rabbi Daniel M. Zucker is founder and Chairman of the Board of Americans for Democracy in the Middle-East, a grassroots organization dedicated to teaching government officials and the public of the dangers posed by Islamic fundamentalism and the need to establish genuine democratic institutions in the Middle-East as an antidote to the venom of such fundamentalism. The organization's web site is www.adme.ws. Additional articles by Rabbi Zucker can be found at www.analyst-network.com.

[1] For details of designation, see: HP-644: "US Designates Iranian Entities and Individuals for Proliferation Activities and Support for Terrorism", IntelliBriefs, October 26, 2007, and Ali Safavi, "In Major Policy Shift, US Designates IRGC, Qods Force, dealing a serious blow to Tehran", Near East Policy Research, November 6, 2007.

[2] John Pike, "Iranian Artillery Rockets", GlobalSecurity.org: Reportedly it has a range of between 60-70 kilometers (45 miles). In May 2006 it was reported that the improved Fajr-5 rocket launcher system had four 333 millimeter calibers launch tubes. Before launching four hydraulic jacks are lowered to the ground in provide a stable fire platform. This kind of new chassis also remarkably enhances in the cross country mobility.

[3] The Shahab-3 is of strategic importance for two primary reasons. First, its 1,300km+ range allows it to strike every important U.S. ally in the region (i.e., Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey), southern Russia, and most of Afghanistan. Second, it was designed as a delivery system for WMD warheads. See Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) Profiles.

[4] W. Thomas Smith Jr., "Militia rebuilds Beirut district in its own", The Washington Times, October 10, 2007.

[5] W. Thomas Smith Jr., "Hezbollah is Secretly Building Battle Positions", The Tank, October 1, 2007, and World Council for the Cedars Revolution, October 2, 2007.

[6] MEMRI, "Iran's Anti-U.S. Propaganda", Memri.org, May 13, 2007, and MEMRI, Special Dispatch Series-No. 1924: "Iranian Papers on the Events in Lebanon: 'In the Power Struggle in the Middle East, There Are Only Two Sides – Iran and the U.S.'; As a Result Of Hizbullah's Victory, 'The U.S.'s Influence in the [Middle East] Region Will Stop, and the Regimes Identified With It Will Be Replaced'", Memri.org, May 12, 2007.

© 2008 Daniel M. Zucker

NOTE: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author, and do not represent the opinions of World Defense Review and its affiliates. WDR accepts no responsibility whatsoever for the accuracy or inaccuracy of the content of this or any other story published on this website. Copyright and all rights for this story (and all other stories by the author) are held by the author.

Articles by Professor Rabbi Daniel M. Zucker

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Iraq: Battleground Between Islamists and Secularists
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Octopus Iran sets its tentacles into Lebanon
Hezbollah's microwave communications system
[22 May 08]