Central region is focus of missile threat, MI chief says

Yadlin says Missiles are being directed at us from three fronts: Iran, Syria and Hizbullah and, Hamas is also trying to improve missile capability.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Iran missile. (photo credit: AP)
Iran missile.
(photo credit: AP)
The Gush Dan metropolitan region is the main target for missiles from Israel’s enemies, the head of the IDF Military Intelligence Directorate, Maj.- Gen. Amos Yadlin, said on Monday.
Speaking during an event held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the kibbutz movement, Yadlin said, “We are facing five active fronts, and we are monitoring developments in every one of them. Missiles are being directed at us from three fronts: Iran, Syria and Hizbullah. At the moment, Hamas is also trying to achieve this capability.”
Yadlin added that Israel’s enemies were attempting to expand their missile ranges, but stressed that they were not relying on operational capabilities alone; they were also hoping to harness the weapon of delegitimization.
“Our enemies expect that our hands will be tied, as in the case of the Goldstone Report, which would allow Iran and Hizbullah to arm themselves and hide in the middle of civilian populations,” Yadlin said.
Iran serves as the main obstacle to peace in the region through its assistance to Hizbullah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Yadlin added, saying that Hizbullah received $100 billion on an annual basis from Teheran, while Hamas and Islamic Jihad received $100 million and $50m. respectively.
“This is an extreme regime which publicly rejects Israel’s existence and calls for its destruction, denies the Holocaust and calls for terrorist attacks against Israel,” he said.
“We are not resting on our laurels, we are checking and rechecking [to see] whether we are in the quiet before the storm,” Yadlin added.