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Location in eastern Syria reported by Iranian resistance sources to be the site of an Israeli air strike
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| By israelinsider staff and partners September 15, 2007 |
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| Base reported as possible target of strike (Defense Update marking of Google Earth Map) |
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An American Mideast expert said the Israel Air Force strike September 6 in Syria last week was linked to a shipment the Syrians received three days earlier in the port of Tartus from North Korea, the Washington Post reported Saturday. Citing sources that reportedly include "Israeli participants" in the strike, the anonymous source said although the shipment was labeled as cement, Israel believed it carried nuclear equipment and acted accordingly.
The expert cited by the Post believed the IAF strike targeted a facility which the Syrians claim serves as an "agricultural research center," but which Israel believes is used for the extraction of uranium from phosphates. The Post placed the suspect facility near the Turkish border, but the Israel-based Defense Update cited a report by the Paris-based 'Iran Press Service' -- affiliated with the Iranian resistance -- claiming that the Israeli attack targeted a base in Eastern Syria near Deir(Dayr) az Zohr, just west of the Iraqi border, and completely destroyed a long-range missile base that Israeli leaders suspected Syria and Iran of building nuclear arms with the help of North Korea.
There have been reports that Israel struck more than one target in the wee hours of September 6.
The Post reported that the mission was so secret that the pilots providing cover for the aircraft which attacked the facility were not given specifics of the mission, and even the pilots who actually carried out the strike were briefed only after they were airborne.
A senior U.S. nuclear official said Friday that North Koreans were in Syria and that Damascus may have had contacts with secret suppliers to obtain nuclear technology.
"U.S. sources reported this week that Israel had recently provided the United States with evidence -- known by the code name "Orchard" -- that North Korea has been cooperating with Syria on a nuclear facility," the Post said.
North Korea, which has a long alliance with Syria, condemned the Israeli air incursion in a rare diplomatic comment.
Andrew Semmel, acting deputy assistant secretary of state for nuclear nonproliferation policy, told the Associated Press yesterday in Rome that North Koreans were in Syria and that Damascus may have had contacts with "secret suppliers" to obtain nuclear equipment. "There are indicators that they do have something going on there," he said.
"So good foreign policy, good national security policy, would suggest that we pay very close attention to that," he said. "We're watching very closely. Obviously, the Israelis were watching very closely."
State Department officials declined to comment on Semmel's remarks. |
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