(CiF Watch) According to a briefing by a senior IDF official Thursday, Hamas is now better armed than it was two years ago, both in terms of the quantity of arms and their capabilities. Not only does it have more weapons, but it also has more activists. These more efficient arms have been supplied by Iran and smuggled into Gaza via Africa and Sinai. There is also evidence of Hizbullah involvement in the re-arming of Hamas, again with weapons supplied by Iran. In addition, the domestic capability for arms manufacture within Gaza has improved, with much of the technical know-how coming from Iran. While it is known that there are some Iranian experts in the fields of explosives and anti-aircraft missiles present in Gaza, the majority of the increased technical capability comes as a result of Hamas activists traveling via Egypt to Syria, Lebanon or Iran for training.
2010-12-17 08:35:46Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive