Friday, June 18, 2010

Gates: Iran could attack Europe with scores or hundreds of missiles


US defense secretary Robert Gates reported to a senate hearing Thursday, June 17 that the US had overhauled its missile defense plans following intelligence that Iran could fire "scores or hundreds" of missiles against Europe -in salvoes rather than one or two at a time. The new US program, designed to protect NATO allies in the region against short- and medium-range missiles, uses sea and land-based interceptors.
debkafile's military sources confirm that in addition to the thousands of ballistic missiles in Iran's arsenal, there are certainly many hundred that could be fired in salvoes. While referring to NATO allies, Gates did not mention Israel, which is located still closer to those missiles and far more prey to the devastation promised by Tehran.
Gates's new evaluation breaks away sharply from the propositions American military chiefs have been advancing in their strategic deliberations with Gulf and Israeli leaders. Until now, they made a point of playing down the missile menace posed from Iran claiming that it consisted of no more than a few score ballistic missiles and far less launchers.
The new intelligence assessment Gates now unveils means that the balance of strength has dramatically shifted in favor of Iran and against Israel.
When the "scores or hundreds" of Iranian missiles are topped up by 800 Scud Ds, which Syria managed in the last two months to position close to the Lebanese border and the 1,000 Iranian and Syrian medium-range missiles transferred to Hizballah in Lebanon, Israel is confronted with an daunting array of 3,000 missiles capable of striking every corner of the country.

http://debka.com/article/8861/