by Anna Ahronheim
Israel "must expand cooperation with regional partners" amid Iranian aggression, Gantz said at The Jerusalem Post Annual Conference in New York.
Speech by Defense Minister Benjamin Benny Gantz.mp4 from Oren Segal on Vimeo.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz revealed a map showing over 10 different facilities in Syria’s Centre D'Etudes et de Recherches Scientifiques (CERS) in Masyaf, used by Iran to produce advanced missiles and weapons for its proxies.
“Under the vision of Qassem Soleimani, Iran transformed CERS into production facilities for mid and long-range, precise missiles and weapons, provided to Hezbollah and Iranian proxies. In other words, it became yet another Iranian front – a factory for advanced, strategic weapons,” Gantz said at The Jerusalem Post Annual Conference in New York City on Monday.
“These sites, particularly the underground facility at Masyaf, host significant threats to the region and to the State of Israel. Masyaf specifically, is used to produce advanced missiles.”
Israel has been accused of striking Syria countless times as part of its war-between-wars campaign aimed at preventing Iranian entrenchment in the country as well as stopping Hezbollah from obtaining weaponry from the Islamic Republic.
Israel ramps up strike campaign throughout Middle East
Between May and July, Israel ramped up its campaign and carried out a double-digit number of strikes throughout the Middle East.
The Israeli Air Force has struck military sites at Masyaf in northwestern Syria numerous times, the latest being on August 25th. According to images released by the Israeli satellite intelligence firm Image Sat International (ISI), the strike targeted numerous buildings-completely destroying some of them and reportedly destroying hundreds of Iranian-made surface-to-surface missiles.
Map of Iranian missile facilities in Syria, revealed by Defense
Minister Benny Gantz during the Jerusalem Post Conference in New York,
September 12, 2022 (credit: DEFENSE MINISTRY)The strike in August hit a site that was targeted in May as well as in April 2019 and September 2018.
Among the various targets hit in these alleged Israeli strikes include structures that served as an entrance to underground tunnels, surface-to-surface missile factories, production hangers, and neighboring structures.
“In addition to CERS, the Iranians are currently working to build missile and weapon industries in Lebanon and Yemen. If this trend will not be stopped, within a decade, there will be advanced Iranian industries across the region, producing weapons and spreading terror.”
"within a decade, there will be advanced Iranian industries across the region, producing weapons and spreading terror"
Defense Minister Benny Gantz at The Jerusalem Post Conference in New York
A 'sharp increase' in Iranian violent activity
The defense minister told the crowd at the conference that there has been a “sharp increase in Iran’s violent activity” in the region since the start of 2020.
Despite economic hardships facing its own citizens, Iran sends over $1 billion USD to its proxy groups, including over $500 million USD to Hezbollah in Lebanon, hundreds of millions to the Houthis in Yemen, over $100 million USD to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza and tens of millions of dollars to pro-Iranian militias in Iraq.
According to Gantz, “the lifting of the sanctions on Iran will release more than $100 billion USD. And without doubt, this will let them double or triple their terror budget.”
Iran, which possesses over 1,000 short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, continues to smuggle weapons to countries and non-state actors such as Hezbollah which is assessed to have an arsenal of between some 50,000 missiles and rockets on Israel’s northern border.
Israel’s war-between-wars campaign has targeted the smuggling routes as well as individuals believed to play key roles in Hezbollah’s precision mission project.
Gantz said that in order to address Iranian aggression, “we must expand cooperation with regional partners” as well as “strengthen industrial and economic ties followed by military cooperation under the umbrella of CENTCOM.”
As well, “we cannot settle” and insist on regional and global security, he said, stressing that “regardless of a diplomatic solution, we must ensure credible military deterrence.”
Gantz also commented on Iran’s nuclear program, saying that the Islamic Republic can reach enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon within a matter of weeks.
“Our intelligence confirms international reports about Iran’s steady progress – including its production capabilities and rate of enrichment,” he said.
“Iran is producing more and more advanced centrifuges – including at underground facilities where activities are prohibited. According to our assessments, should Iran decide to do so, it can reach 3SQ (or enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon) at 90% within a matter of weeks.”
Israel is opposed to a return to a 2015 deal that lifts sanctions by the West on Tehran in return for restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear weapons program. While Western powers including the United States continue on the diplomatic path hoping to bring Iran to sign a new deal, an Israeli official said Sunday that Jerusalem does not expect a deal to be signed before the mid-term elections in November.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz at the Jerusalem Post Conference in New York, September 12, 2022 (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)On Saturday, Britain, France and Germany voiced frustrations and raised “serious doubts” with Iran after the Islamic Republic tried to link its signing with the closing of UN watchdog probes into uranium traces found at three nuclear sites.
Commenting on Iran’s demand, Gantz said at the conference that “Iran refuses to cooperate with international investigations, and it’s because they have something to hide. We deserve answers and Iran should be held accountable. We must ensure the authority and professional independence of the IAEA.”
Anna Ahronheim
Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-716972
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