(BLOG) Iran Is Keeping A Tight Rein On Nasrallah And Hezbollah

"With aid from Iran, Syria has a factory producing M-600 missiles for Hezbollah. So is Assad really looking for peace?

At an undisclosed site, the Syrians have erected a factory that produces M-600 missiles, capable of hitting almost any target in Israel. According to the French newsletter Intelligence Online, the factory is a joint Iranian-Syrian venture. Iran funded construction of the site, and supplied the assembly line, the technology and the war doctrine. In return, Syria is committed to provide half of the factory's production - that is, half the missiles - to Hezbollah.

A few weeks ago, reports in worldwide media outlets indicated that Syria was smuggling missiles to Hezbollah in Lebanon, in clear violation of the UN Security Council resolution that brought about the end of the Second Lebanon War. The reports, apparently leaked by a source inside Israel intelligence, were later confirmed by the Israeli government. In truth, the term "smuggling" is incorrect. Syria transfers the missiles according to its factory agreement with Iran, but tries to hide the weapons supply from Israeli intelligence and the Israel Air Force, which have been closely following these transfers."