An Iranian drone launched in Jask port, southern Iran. (AP/Chavosh Homavandi)
In an unusual move, Israel has revealed key details about the Iranian plot to launch “kamikaze-drones” on Israel.
By David Isaac, World Israel News
Israel has been uncharacteristically open about Iran’s attempted drone attack, publishing numerous details, including the names and pictures of the terrorists involved in what was to be an aerial strike on Israel’s north. Normally, Israel doesn’t comment about its activities in Syria.
Pundits opine that Israel may hope the exposure will lead to international condemnation of Iran.
On Monday, the IDF published pictures of two of the terrorists involved in the foiled attack.
IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis tweeted a picture of Hasem Yusuf Zabeev, 23, and Yasser Ahmed Zahar, 22, two Hezbollah terrorists from Lebanon in an airplane on the way to Iran, where they received training.
Israel released this picture of Hasem Yusuf Zabeev, 23, (l) and Yasser Ahmed Zahar, 22 (r), two terrorists from Lebanon killed while attempting to launch an attack drone into Israel. (IDF)
Also on Monday, the IDF’s Arabic Spokesman Avichai Edri tweeted that the Shi’ite forces who were killed by Israel’s pre-emptive strike were trained in Iran alongside other militias who intended to carry out attacks in “Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and other areas in the Middle East.”
On Sunday, Manelis pointed the finger at the head of the Iran Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, for directly overseeing the failed operation.
“We view severely the activity of the Quds force and the fact that the Syrian regime allows Iranians to operate freely from Syria,” Manelis tweeted.
Israel also released footage of the terrorists carrying the drone. The IDF reported that the terrorists originally intended to carry out the attack last Thursday, but their plans were delayed thanks to Israeli actions.
The terrorists rescheduled for Sunday at which point Israel launched an airstrike, killing them.
On Sunday, IDF Spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus offered up operational details on the planned attack. He said there were four Iranian-trained drone operators. Each drone was to carry out a “kamikaze” like attack, crashing into Israeli targets while carrying several kilograms of high explosives.
Conricus said that the Iranian Quds Force had been planning the attack for months. However, Israel had been following the plot carefully.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, “Through hard work, we managed to discover that Iran’s Quds Force sent a special squad of Shiite terrorists to Syria to kill Israelis on the Golan Heights using explosive-laden drones. This was Iran’s initiative, this was orchestrated by Iran and was to be carried out on its behalf.
“We will not tolerate attacks on Israel from any nation in this region; any nation that allows its territory to be used for attacks on Israel will be held accountable,” he said, quoting a Talmudic teaching, “If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first.”
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