Israel Matzav

Report: Iran shipping arms to Hezbullah via Iraq

A report in a Kuwaiti newspaper says that Iran is shipping arms to Hezbullah via Iraq to avoid alleged Israeli air strikes that plagued the shipments when they went through Syria.

The Al-Siyasiya newspaper, which has expressed support for the Syrian rebel forces, quoted a top Iraqi official in the report on Wednesday. According to the anonymous official, Iran and Assad's forces signed an agreement in front of Iraqi government officials changing the route of weapons supplies to Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

The agreement stated that weapons would be re-routed through Iraq's national airport; the official claimed that the deal was made to allay fears of intervention from Israel and Western powers. 

"The preferred route for arms shipments from Iran and Syria to Hezbollah has always been through the border between Syria and Lebanon," according to the official. "[However], due to recent events, there is concern that arms transfers will be prevented by Israeli Air Force (IAF) planes, which are frequently in the region."

The source claimed that arms transfers via the new route began over two months ago, when officials launched the first attempt to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah through Iraq. The smugglers made their way with the weapons from Baghdad's International Airport to the Beirut-Rafik Hariri International Airport, the source claimed, and then delivered the weapons to Hezbollah armories.

Something tells me this route won't last much longer either. The IAF knows quite well how to get to Baghdad... and Beirut....

Labels: Baghdad, Hezbullah, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, weapons shipment

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:10 PM