Israel Matzav

Israel, US trying to prevent sale of French anti-tank missiles to Lebanese Armed Forces

Israel and the United States are trying to prevent the sale by France of 100 HOT anti-tank missiles to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). The missiles, which can be mounted on helicopters, would (God forbid) result in increased Israeli casualties if they hit an Israeli tank in a future war.

Israel and the US are attempting to prevent a French-Lebanese arms deal that could lead to increased Israeli casualties in any future confrontation, Channel 10 cited from a Friday report by Arabic daily Asharq al-Awsat.

According to the report, French Defense Minister Herve Moran sent a letter to his Lebanese counterpart Elias Murr offering to sell Lebanon 100 HOT anti-tank missiles to be armed on the Gazelle helicopters already in use by Lebanese Armed Forces.

A French source quoted by the paper blamed a delay in the delivery of the HOT missiles due to "confusion" in the Lebanese defense establishment.

France' sale of weapons to the LAF comes at a time when Washington has grown increasingly skittish over the issue of funding and arming the Lebanese military over concerns that the LAF may become engaged in a fight with Israel, an American ally, or be co-opted by the terrorist group Hizbullah.

What could go wrong?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:17 PM