Israel’s new attack submarines nearing completion at German shipyard

Israel’s newest version of its Dolphin-class submarine, which is quieter than the nuclear-powered engines on American and Russian submarines, is nearing completion at Germany’s hyssenKrupp Marine Systems shipyards in Kiel.

 Three Dolphin II-class submarines, which Real Clear Defense called “part attack submarine, part nuclear strike ship and part commando taxi,” are undergoing trials in Germany before heading to the Mediterranean.

 When complete, analysts believe that the Dolphin II-class submarines will carry nuclear-tipped Popeye Turbo cruise missiles, although the Israeli government has not admitted to such claims, Real Clear Defense reported.

IDF sees steep rise in submarine operations

Last year saw spike in deployments for Israel’s nuclear-capable fleet, which is set to grow by two more vessels this year

The IDF’s submarine flotilla has seen a sharp increase in the number and duration of its at-sea operations, with a special focus on Israel’s northern neighbor Lebanon.

 According to a senior Israel Navy officer, 58 percent of the navy’s submarine flotilla’s time at sea in 2013 were in operational deployments, while the remaining 42% were for training purposes. That marks a dramatic increase from the three previous years, when submarines spent just 36% of their time at sea in operational deployments.

The navy’s submarines also conducted 54 special operations in 2013, a similarly sharp increase from previous years. The operations included deployments to the Lebanese coast and deployments lasting several weeks that took the submarines thousands of kilometers from Israel.

The navy’s figures mark a rare revelation on the part of the IDF that suggests the military has significantly upped its operational presence to counter threats from Hezbollah and the more distant Iran.

It is also likely a message to the German government, which is visiting Israel this week in a delegation led by Chancellor Angela Merkel for high-level talks with Israeli counterparts.

Israel buys its top-of-the-line, nuclear warhead-capable (according to foreign reports) Dolphin submarines from Germany, and the navy expects two new Dolphin-class subs to be delivered in the second half of 2014, the INS Tanin and INS Rahav.

 

The new submarines have engines that don’t require surfacing to acquire new air supplies, effectively expanding Israel’s naval (and, reportedly, nuclear) reach and allowing for more distant and long-lasting operations.

“Last year we carried out thousands of hours of operations in the submarines,” the commander of the navy’s submarine flotilla, Col. “G,” said in a briefing Tuesday.

“G” called the new submarines “very technologically sophisticated vessels that require highly trained and professional crews to operate them… We operate in different theaters, including the northern theater, to ensure the security of the State of Israel,” he said.

According to Brig. Gen. Eli Sharvit, commander of the navy’s Haifa base, the navy’s northern deployments are intended to protect Israel from a “highly operational” Syrian navy, which is armed with “strategic weaponry” and has maintained a powerful presence in the region despite the civil war raging in the country

 

Israeli weapon systems on “Flying Cannon” ?

The planned gunship variant of the C-27J will undertake the first test firings of its 30mm cannon while slaved to an electro-optical/infrared sensor at the end of this year or early 2014.

MC-27J is a new multi mission transport aircraft jointly produced and marketed by Alenia Aermacchi and ATK. It is a roll on/roll off (RO/RO) aircraft based on the C-27J Spartan.

i-HLS Israel Homeland Security

The MC-27J is designed to support air forces and Special Forces involved in the tactical transport, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, anti-terrorism operations, the evacuation of military and civilians from crisis zones and the fight against asymmetric threats.

MC-27J is based on the combat proven airframe of the C-27J. The base platform is slightly modified, while the airlift capabilities of C-27J are retained. The new aircraft is incorporated with pallet-based systems for additional mission-specific capabilities.

The aircraft has a length of 22.7m, wing span of 28.7m and a height of 9.6m. The maximum take-off weight of the MC-27J is 30,500kg.

ATK and Elbit Systems Ltd. had recently received a contract award through the Defense Acquisition Challenge (DAC) Program to provide a low-cost, light-weight, precision guided missile for the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) evaluation

This missile incorporates lock-on before and after launch and employs a penetrating warhead with sufficient kinetic Energy to defeat hardened targets. The project directly supports a USSOCOM requirement that the companies are ready to meet with their Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket (GATR) and Precision Guided Rocket Launcher.

 

The Israeli sources point to a possibility that the cooperation between Elbit systems and ATK may .result in adding Israel made weapons systems on the MC-27J

Israel Receives First C-130J Super Hercules: ‘Shimshon

Lockheed Martin delivered the State of Israel’s first C-130J Super Hercules airlifter during a ceremony today at its Aeronautics Company’s production facility here. This is first of three C-130Js currently on order for the Israeli Air Force (IAF), which has operated legacy C-130s since 1971.

The IAF has bestowed the nickname “Shimshon” on its C-130Js. Shimshon is Hebrew for Samson, who was a judge and leader for the people of Israel. Samson’s mother called him Shimshon, which is derived from the Hebrew word for sun, because she felt he was destined to be as bright and mighty as the sun and would deliver the Jewish people from their enemies.

“Israel’s new C-130J builds on the tradition of its predecessors and offers the IAF unique capabilities that are not only proven, but without equal,” said George Shultz, vice president and general manager, C-130 programs at the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. “With its glass cockpit and modern digital avionics, the C-130J has proven it performs in all environments: hot, cold, dirt and sand. Shimshon will serve the IAF as the C-130 always has — anywhere, anytime.”

Israel ordered its C-130Js through a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) contract with the U.S. Government. Upon delivery, this aircraft will move into a modification program and receive Israeli-unique systems. An in-country delivery for this C-130J is scheduled for spring 2014.

While Israel is the newest member of the C-130J worldwide operator family, this Super Hercules has the distinction of being one of 290 C-130Js that contributed to the worldwide fleet’s first
1 million flight hours. Shimshon’s test flight hours were included in this tally, which spans the C-130J’s first flight on April 5, 1996 through April 30, 2013.

Fifteen countries have chosen the C-130J Super Hercules to meet their air mobility needs. The C-130J is the standard by which all other airlift is measured in terms of availability, flexibility and reliability. C-130Js currently are deployed in two combat theaters where they operate at a very high tempo efficiently and reliably.

In non-combat — but equally harsh environments — C-130Js are often the first to support humanitarian missions such as search and rescue, aerial firefighting in the U.S., and delivering relief supplies after earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons and tsunamis around the world.

Israel Will Be First International Customer To Fly F-35s

Though late to sign on to the network of nations purchasing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Israel will be the first international customer to operate the fifth-generation fighter.

“Israel will become the first non-U.S. operator of the F-35 in the world,” said Steve O’Bryan, Lockheed Martin’s vice president for F-35 program integration and business development in an interview at the Paris air show. The first F-35I combat squadron is expected to achieve initial operational capability in 2018. 

Eight other countries have already committed to the program with firm contracts.

“The F-35 fighters going into service with these users will use different initial versions that will be upgraded later into the latest version, as it becomes available,” O’Bryan said. That mean F-35s will be tailored to individual nations, he says. 

“Specific capabilities developed for certain users will remain exclusive, and open to other users only with the original user’s consent. For example, the software blocks pertaining to the Norwegian anti-ship missile will not be available to other F-35 operators except Norway, unless it decides to sell those missiles to one of the F-35 users. The same goes to the Rafael Spice 1000. Similarly, the advanced electronic warfare, data links and specific software modes developed for the Israeli air force will remain unique to Israel and not delivered to any other user. These capabilities will also be fully integrated with the aircraft capabilities, adhering to the stealth characteristics of the aircraft, particularly, at specific apertures cleared for the Israeli systems integration in the lower fuselage and leading edge,” he said.

The first Israeli pilots plan to arrive at Eglin AFB, Fla., for training on the F-35A in early 2016. The first aircraft is tentatively set to be delivered to the Israel air force toward the end of that year, and arrive in Israel in 2017. 

These F-35Is will be produced under Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) lots 8, 9 and 10. By that time, all 19 aircraft included under the $2.75 billion order will be delivered to the IAF under the current five-year plan. A follow-on order for more F-35Is is expected in 2018, under the next five-year plan. As the new fighter enters full-production rate, volumes are expected to increase, leading to proportionally lowering cost, expected to drop below $85 million in then-year dollars.

Financing of this follow-on procurement is already under discussion with the U.S. Jerusalem is seeking creative ways for Washington’s agreement to guarantee payment for these planes, including the foreign military sales budget allocated annually to Israel. If this concept is approved, Israel will be required to pay for the interest but will be able to commit willingly to follow-on orders and receive the second squadron immediately after the first is delivered.

 

“With the F-35 Israel is expected to receive the AIM-9X short-range air/air missile (AAM) and the Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM Beyond Visual Range (BVR) AAM,” O’Bryan added. The F-35 currently carries the Raytheon AIM-9X Block at the outboard under-wing stations, in non-stealth configuration, as the current Block I missiles cannot be carried internally. This shortcoming will be corrected in Block II, which is to follow soon. 

Nevertheless, the optimal weapon carriage for the F-35 comprises exclusively the AMRAAM missiles, enabling the fighter to maximize its “see-first, shoot-first, kill-first” strategy. The next generation BVR-AAM will offer both active and passive guidance techniques, offering effective intercept ranges in excess of 100 km. This makes part of the argument not to include the Rafael Python V missile in the aircraft configuration; the next generation Python VI will be designed to fit the new fighter. Yet, according to IAF sources, a decision whether to use a derivative of the Stunner or a brand-new AAM has yet to be made.

F-35s are prepared to fight air combat as a “networked formation,” sharing all information between all members at all time. The data link used for this process, called MADL, will also be available to all F-35 operators. In addition, Harris Multi-Function Advanced Data-Link (MADL) terminals could be installed on certain support elements, to extend information sharing and update the data available to the stealthy F-35 formation. In addition, the F-35 is now offering Link-16 connectivity and would obviously include a satellite link as well, providing secure, low-probability-of-detection communications on extended range missions.

In August 2012 Lockheed Martin received a $206 million award from the U.S. Navy Naval Air Systems Command, covering the development and integration of Israeli systems in the F-35A. Part of a larger package, the integration support agreement with Lockheed Martin covers a $450 million program to enhance Electronic Warfare (EW) equipment on the F-35, and integrate Israeli-unique systems beginning in 2016.

“The advantage of this F-35 for the Israel air force is not about higher performance or a specific weapon capacity, but the ability to understand the battlespace, identify, locate targets from standoff range and neutralize them before being engaged,” Brig. Gen. Hagi Topolanski, Chief of Air Staff and Deputy Israeli Air Force Commander, told Aviation Week in a recent interview. 

“These capabilities are meaningful in dealing with modern fighter aircraft and advanced SAMs. While the F-35 has its limitations, it can take on and win against any threat currently available in-theater. Its ability to independently collect, assess and process a battlespace situational picture, and strike those targets by itself, from standoff range, is providing a qualitative edge over anything the enemy can confront with, in the foreseeable future.”

Israel insisted upon a number of requirements throughout the procurement negotiations on the F-35I. Those included the adaptation of the baseline F-35A including all its systems, to the Israeli air force’s operational environment, which will require some necessary additions.

“Our F-35I will be equipped with our specific networks, armament and electronic warfare, among them the Spice autonomous EO guided weapon. It will also carry the AIM-9X2 air-to-air missile, which will become the first platform in the IAF to employ this advanced air-to-air missile. We also plan to continue and pursue the development of future air-to-air missiles; we are still evaluating the cost/performance trade-off between a common air-to-air and air-to-ground missile and a dedicated AAM design,” Topolanski explained. “Assuming the F-35 will offer the capabilities it is planned to deliver, it will bring a new dimension to air battles as we know today.” 

One of the advantages of the F-35 is the aircraft’s ability to fly long-range missions with internal weapons, accelerate faster and maintain higher speed, compared to current F16s or F-15s or any of the opposing force combat aircraft (flying with internal fuel). 

To further extend the F-35’s range, Lockheed Martin is exploring an innovative concept from Israel, of using unique drop tanks, developed by Elbit Systems Cyclone. Designed in a similar concept to the F-22 under-wing drop tanks, these tanks, each containing 425 gal. of fuel, will use special attachment pylons that would completely separate from the wing, regaining full stealth capability after separation. An additional 900 gal. of fuel will significantly extend the F-35I range, enabling the IAF to operate its new stealth fighter at the “outer ring” of operation without mandatory aerial refueling.

Iran - Helpless Against Israeli Air Power

The war of words (and occasional violence) between the Sunni Arabs of Arabia and the Shia Iranians does have one beneficial angle. Each side accurately accuses the other of various political crimes and gets these ugly facts out into the open. Many of the accusations are not made up but are simply accurate accounts of what is going on. Thus Iran broadcasts details of how the Sunni states on the Arab side of the Gulf discriminate and generally abuse their Shia citizens. The Arab media, using equally excellent sources inside Iran, detail how the religious dictatorship in Iran abuses its own people. For people on both sides of the Gulf these media battles are quite informative. Western diplomats and intelligence services also find this rather large flow of accusations to be most informative.

 

The war between Shia and Sunni has been going on for over a thousand years and is normally a low key affair, marked by obscure theological arguments and lots more social bigotry against the “others.” Since Shia have always been the minority, they get the worst of it. The Shia are also more vulnerable because of their custom of revering many of their notable historical figures with shrines. Sunni call this blasphemous idolatry and often attack or destroy the shrines and frequently hide or destroy the corpses of these ancient Shia leaders. While senior clerics from all sides oppose the desecration of graves, Sunni holy warriors, and many lower ranking clerics, are not restrained. Recent Sunni terrorist attacks on Shia shrines in Iraq and Syria has made it more difficult for Iran to aid al Qaeda (which is basically a Sunni religious fanatic organization) against their common enemies (the U.S., the West, current governments in Arabia). Al Qaeda leaders sometimes try to restrain their followers when it comes to Shia shrines, but that message does not have much impact at ground level. This is bad for both Iran and its Sunni neighbors because the street level anger and hatred will persist long after the leadership agrees to halt the warmongering. 

 

The U.S. has organized an international mine clearing force in the Persian Gulf with ships and personnel from 41 nations and is conducting mine clearing exercises in the Persian Gulf for the rest of the month. Naval mines are the most effective weapon Iran possesses if it decides to attack shipping in the Persian Gulf.  

 

Iranian support for Syria in its fight against Sunni rebels is becoming more obvious. The government is now openly calling for volunteers to go fight in Syria. So far members of the Quds Force and others from the armed forces have been ordered to Syria to act as trainers and advisors. This is considered a survivable assignment, but Iranian troops fighting alongside Syrian ones is rather more dangerous and volunteers are being sought. Efforts to get Iraqi Shia to fight in Syria has not been very successful, in part because that same Syrian government (led by the Shia minority in Syria) supported the Sunni terrorists based in Syria after 2003 and helped them get into Iraq to kill over 50,000 Shia. This is less of an issue in Iran where disdain for Arabs extends to dead Shia Arabs as well. But many Iranians see this support of the Syrian dictatorship as something they are being forced to pay for, with obvious hits to the standard of living for the average Iranian. For the average Sunni Iraqi Arab, fighting against the Shia government of Iran is a rather more attractive proposal and over a thousand Iraqi Sunnis have gone to Syria, while less than a hundred Iraqi Shia have done so. 

 

Iran has been particularly helpful in equipping and training the pro-government Syrian militias. The Iranian Quds Force has long experience in this sort of thing, having organized Hezbollah in Lebanon 30 years ago. Quds is increasingly busy in Syria and now the Iranian Army has been told to assist with training, or retraining, Syrian soldiers. The Iranians are believed to be behind the Syrian adoption of savage new tactics in the fighting around Damascus. These new methods involve mass killings of civilians, especially military age men, during daytime raids into pro-rebel villages.

Late last year the Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander openly bragged that members of the Quds Force were operating in Syria. Quds has long been Iran's international terrorism support organization. The Quds Force supplies weapons to the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban as well as Islamic radicals in Somalia, Iraq and elsewhere. Quds has been advising Syrian forces on how to deal with the rebels, and occasionally helping with raids and interrogations. Iran is also bringing in some badly needed special weapons and equipment. Most of this is coming in by air via Iraq. Syrian rebels are getting more and more proof of Iranian aid out to the world. Now the rebels are facing “special troops” trained and advised by the Iranians.

 

Iran is also very concerned about its protégé Hezbollah in Lebanon. This Shia militia is increasingly unpopular in Lebanon and its support of the Shia Assad government in Syria is not popular in Lebanon either. Lebanon has been the victim of Assad plots, assassination and general bad behavior for decades. Hezbollah tries to ignore this, but most Lebanese don’t. 

 

Iranian efforts to reinforce Hezbollah are being hampered by Israeli air strikes. The first one was in January but there have been two more in the last week with Israel hinting that there are more to come. 

Iran has long shipped weapons to Hezbollah via Syria, and with that route in danger of being cut, more missiles and other military equipment are being trucked to from Syria to Lebanon. Israel is determined to halt the movement of these long range missiles and Russian anti-aircraft systems to Lebanon. Israel has increasingly been working, usually quietly and unofficially, with Sunni Arab states to oppose Iranian sponsored terrorism and the Iranian nuclear weapons program. It appears that some of that cooperation is at work in Syria, where the principal financial and weapons suppliers for the rebels are Jordan and Arab Gulf states, some of them long-time silent partners with Israel in counter-terrorism matters. So far the only air support the Syrian rebels have received has come from Israel, not NATO. This annoys Iran a great deal because, as a practical matter, there is nothing Iran can do about it.

Hezbollah has responded by sending more armed men into Syria and threatening to openly declare war on the rebels if rebel interference with Hezbollah convoys does not cease. Hezbollah is less eager to threaten Israel with retaliation, because the majority of Lebanese would like to see Hezbollah taken down a notch or two. Attacking Israel and getting beat up by the Israeli response would do that. Israel has been openly preparing that response for the last seven years. 

 

Faced with growing popular discontent over poverty, shortages (because of the new international oil sales sanctions) and police state behavior, Iranian clerics are seeking scapegoats. Blaming Israel and the United States does not work anymore so new culprits are being sought. Some clerics are blaming these problems on Israelis using magic to force most nations on the planet to back the new sanctions. Another cleric blamed recent earthquakes (and other natural disasters) on Iranian women who wear short skirts, revealing tops and other immodest clothing. 

 

Government officials are claiming that new economic policies are neutralizing the impact of the new economic sanctions imposed a year ago. While Iran has adapted, that has not eliminated the pain from having their oil export income cut 27 percent last year and headed for a steeper fall this year. Other sanctions have made many import items difficult to get at any price. Iran says it will manufacture more goods locally, which will mean more expensive and shoddier replacements for the imports. The government tries to hide the fact that unemployment and inflation are going up while family income is declining. The government has not budged on its refusal to halt its nuclear weapons program. So the West is increasing sanction enforcement efforts. No one is willing to go to war with Iran over the matter, so it’s got to be more non-military pressure or surrender.  

 

May 6, 2013: In Kenya a court sentenced two Iranians to life in prison for plotting to carry out terror attacks in Kenya. The two were arrested last year in Kenya and were caught with 15 kg (33 pounds) of explosives and other bomb making materials. The two were apparently under orders to attack American or Israeli targets in Kenya. Such Iranian sponsored terrorism has caused considerable death and destruction in Kenya in the past. 

 

May 4, 2013: After months of negotiations India has agreed to spend $100 million to upgrade the Iranian port of Chabahar and Iran would allow Indian ships to move cargo in and out of Afghanistan via Iranian roads, railroads, and the port of Chabahar. The Pakistani port of Gwadar is 72 kilometers east of Chabahar but Indian relations with Pakistan are too unreliable to allow use of Gwadar (which is now controlled by Chinese firms). During 2004-9 India spent over $70 million to build a 218 kilometer highway from Kandahar (the major city in southwest Afghanistan) to the Iranian border. 

That connects to Iranian roads and railroads that go the thousand kilometers to Chabahar. This gives Afghanistan easy access to the ocean without going through Pakistan (and its bandits, corrupt officials, and unreliable politics). Afghanistan likes having close relations with Pakistan because both India and Afghanistan have had problems with Pakistani hostility and support of Islamic terrorists.

Arrow 3 Tested Successfully

The anti-missile system is intended to intercept high altitude ballistic missiles

The Ministry of Defense's Homa Administration successfully carried out a successful flight test Monday of the Arrow 3 (in Hebrew: Hetz 3) anti-missile missile, in conjunction with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.

The Defense Ministry said that the test was intended to check the flight systems of the missile, which is meant to provide added high-altitude protection against missiles and to solidify the defensive array protecting Israel from the long range missile threat.

The Arrow 3 will be able to intercept ballistic missiles with longer ranges than the ones that Arrow 2 can bring down, and it will do so at higher altitudes. It is part of the multi-layer defense system that is intended to protect the state of Israel, which also includes the Iron Dome system and the Magic Wand system.

Iron Dome, which is already operational and functioned very well during Operation Pillar of Defense, deals primarily with short range missiles. Magic Wand will deal with the medium-range threat.

Development of the Arrow 3 is expected to take two more years, whereas Magic Wand is due to become operational in 2014. 

Israel - Iron Dome Keeps Moving

Israel has moved a third Iron Dome anti-rocket system north, to deal with any possible attacks coming out of Syria. There, the two year old civil war is leading to weapons storage sites being captured by rebels and the contents disappearing. Israel fears that someone will grab some rockets and someone to operate them and launch attacks on Israel. Northern Israel is sparsely populated and not very vulnerable to the many 122mm artillery rockets favored by terrorists because these only have a range of about 20 kilometers. But the Syrians have hundreds of longer range missiles and rockets that can reach Israel’s largest cities farther south. Another problem with this is that the cities are easier to hit because the populated area is so large. This caused some unexpected problems with Iron Dome last Novemb 

Although the Iron Dome system succeeded in shooting down about 85 percent of the rockets Hamas fired at Israeli populated areas last November, the number that had to be shot down was something of a shock. It was originally believed that only ten percent of rockets fired at smaller towns and villages would need to be intercepted by Iron Dome missiles. The rest would fall into unpopulated areas that are common near the northern and southern borders.  But the eight day bombardment by Hamas rockets last November saw 1,500 larger or longer ranged rockets fired at larger targets (cities). This meant a third of the rockets headed for populated areas and thus needing an Iron Dome interceptor missile. Even though Israel has ordered more Iron Dome missiles, too many rockets headed for populated areas in a short time means some incoming rockets that should get an interceptor missile won’t. 

A solution may lie in Iron Dome’s software. Iron Dome uses two radars to quickly calculate the trajectory of the incoming rocket and does nothing if the rocket trajectory indicates it is going to land in an uninhabited area. But if the computers predict a rocket coming down in an inhabited area, a Tamir guided missile is fired to intercept the rocket. This makes the system cost-effective. Further improvements in the software may make it less necessary to fire missiles. That's mainly because most of these unguided rockets land in uninhabited areas but the few of those that do land in populated areas inflict casualties. The system was so successful and reliable that it was found safe to fire one missile, instead of two, at each incoming rocket. In addition, during the eight day campaign last November, the Iron Dome software was updated almost daily as users reported any problems which were collected and fixed quickly and a new version of the software created, tested, and issued. 

There’s nothing special about the rest of the Iron Dome system. The Tamir missiles each weigh 90 kg (200 pounds), are three meters (9.8 feet) long, and 160mm in diameter. They have the usual components of a guided missile (rocket motor, electronics, and mechanical devices to actuate the fins and batteries). Without the predictive software Iron Dome would quickly run out of missiles and be much more expensive to operate as well. 

The first real rocket threat for Iron Dome was from a terrorist organization (Hamas) operating out of an area (Gaza) that is basically home for Palestinian refugees who have been there for over 60 years and want nothing less than the destruction of Israel. 

A similar organization (Hezbollah) controls southern Lebanon and is also dedicated to the destruction of Israel, using 40,000 unguided rockets they received from Iran. Hezbollah last attacked with rockets in 2006. 

Israel is organizing a force of 13 Iron Dome batteries to defeat Hezbollah and Hamas rocket attacks. Israel keeps moving these batteries around, making them less of a target for missiles or terrorists. Each of the five existing Iron Dome batteries has radar and control equipment and three or four missile launchers (each containing twenty missiles). Two more batteries are on order. Each battery costs about $40 million, which includes up to a hundred Tamir missiles (costing $90,000 each). The U.S. contributed nearly $300 million for development of Iron Dome.

Israel - Gaza Rebels Grow Stronger

Israel closed schools close to the Gaza border, the first time it has done that since 2008, shortly before invading Gaza for three weeks to halt the growing number of rocket attacks. That offensive did bring a major drop in rocket attacks and a ceasefire with Hamas and Israel now threatens to invade again as the number of rocket attacks increases. Many smaller and more radical groups continued to fire rockets into Israel. Hamas has refused to shut down these more radical groups, because that might trigger a civil war. The smaller, more radical groups are increasingly critical of Hamas for having gone soft and eased up on Israel. The smaller Islamic terror groups are not strong enough to defeat Hamas, but they could carry out terror attacks inside Gaza. Hamas wants to avoid that. Meanwhile the two Palestinian governments (Hamas in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank) continue to fill their media with “destroy Israel” propaganda. That and the corrupt and incompetent governance in both areas leaves most Palestinians frustrated and angry.

October 24, 2012: Islamic terror groups in Gaza fired 80 rockets and mortar shells into Israel from late yesterday into today, causing some property damage and injuring three Thai farm workers (brought in because to replace Palestinians over the last decade of Palestinian terror attacks against Israel). Hamas took responsibility for some of the rockets fired. Israeli retaliation attacks killed three Palestinians. Egypt says it has negotiated a ceasefire between terror groups in Gaza and the Israelis. These ceasefires are frequent and rarely last long.

October 23, 2012: Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani, the ruler of Qatar visited Gaza and pledged $400 million to build 3,000 new homes in Gaza. Thani is trying to get Hamas away from its alliance with Iran and towards working with the Fatah government in the West Bank to create a united Palestinian government that can negotiate a peace deal with Israel. Qatar wants to end the state of war between Hamas and Israel and is hoping cash and public support may do it. Qatar is very wealthy (it has the highest per-capita income in the Persian Gulf) and its ruler has been increasingly active in backing change in the Arab world. Qatar is a major supporter of the Syrian rebels and urges political reforms throughout the Arab world. This is a difficult and thankless job. For example, a major event during Thani’s visit, a rally at a soccer stadium was cancelled at the last minute because most Palestinians were not interested and about 80 percent of the seats in the stadium were empty. Most Gazans are fed up with Hamas, and not showing up to honor the sheikh was one way to demonstrate their opposition without getting arrested.

Palestinian terrorists fired several rockets into Israel which triggered air raids in response. An Israeli soldier was also wounded by a terrorist bomb set off on the Gaza border fence.

Sudan reported that one of their ammunition factories blew up and blamed an Israeli air raid. Many Sudanese believe the bombed factory actually belongs to Iran. Sudan says they have proof it was an Israeli attack, in the form of fragments of Israeli missiles. But no such proof has yet been presented. Israeli officials refused to comment. Israel did carry out a similar raid 18 months ago. Explosions at ammunition factories often occur when someone gets sloppy, especially on the night shift.

October 19, 2012: A bomb went off in a Christian neighborhood in the Lebanese capital, killing a senior security official (and seven others) who was openly anti-Syria (and anti-Assad). This angered many Lebanese who are still bitter about decades of Syrian interference in Lebanese affairs. Police arrested a former government official (Michel Samaha), long known as pro-Syria and accused him of planning the operation. Police say Samaha admitted he transported explosives from Syria in his own automobile. Hezbollah has long used non-Shia allies, as well as Syrian agents, to carry out attacks on political rivals. This attack led to more gunfire between pro and anti-Syria factions in Lebanon.

On the Gaza border a bomb went off damaging an Israeli military vehicle.

October 17, 2012: Egypt has reopened its embassy in Israel. Although the new Egyptian government is dominated by an Islamic party that spouts lots of anti-Israeli rhetoric, Egypt insists it will maintain the terms of the 1979 peace treaty. The two countries have had diplomatic relations since 1994 but there has been no Egyptian ambassador in Israel for the last two years.

Israeli aircraft hit terrorist targets in Gaza in retaliation for rocket attacks the day before.

Iran tests missiles, unveils drone amid Israel tensions

Iran has tested anti-air and anti-ship missiles and unveiled a new drone, its powerful Revolutionary Guards said on Monday, in a show of military readiness for a war with Israel their chief says is inevitable.

Medium-range surface-to-air missiles designed to knock attacking aircraft out of the sky at a range of 50 kilometers (30 miles) were successfully fired on Monday, the Guards said in a statement on their official Sepahnews website.

The new, Taer-2 missiles were part of an anti-air defense system known as Ra'ad (Thunder), the statement said.

The Fars news agency called the domestically made missiles "more advanced" than the Russian-made Buk family of missiles they were based on.

Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, the commander of the Guards' navy, also said that on Sunday a naval drill was held in which four missiles hit a warship-sized target, sinking it in 50 seconds, according to Fars.

"We have missile systems that cover all the Persian Gulf coasts and the American bases [in the region]," he was quoted as saying.

He added that the Revolutionary Guards would in the next six months hold "big naval maneuvers in the Strait of Hormuz," the strategic, narrow channel at the Gulf's entrance through which a third of the world's seaborne traded oil passes.

Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the Guards' aerospace division charged with missile defense, also announced a new drone, dubbed Shahed 129, with a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles).

"It is able to carry bombs and missiles... it has the ability to fly non-stop for 24 hours, it does surveillance," Fars quoted him as saying.

State television showed images of the unmanned aircraft.

On Saturday, the head of the Revolutionary Guards, General Mohammad Ali Jafari, said war between Iran and Israel "will eventually happen, but it is not certain where and when."

It was the first time a senior Iranian official had acknowledged the probability of war breaking out between the two arch-foes.

Israel in recent weeks has ratcheted up its threats to possibly launch air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, with or without help from its US ally.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards commanders have said they would view any Israeli attack as being carried out with US authorization, and warned they would hit US military bases in Afghanistan, Qatar and Bahrain in retaliation.

Hajizadeh told Iran's Al-Alam television network on Sunday that an Israel-Iran war would be unpredictable - "and it will turn into World War III" as other countries were sucked into it.

The disconcertingly bellicose language from the Revolutionary Guards contrasted with the stated position of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government, which has publicly dismissed Israel's threats as a bluff.

Ahmadinejad, in New York for a UN General Assembly, reiterated that stance in interviews with US media.

"While the Iranian people are ready to defend ourselves, I don't believe the [Israeli] threats are of fundamental importance," he told US media bosses in a meeting on Monday.

Israel, the Middle East's sole though undeclared nuclear weapons state, views Iran's nuclear program as a threat to its existence and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has strongly intimated he could order strikes against Iranian facilities.

Iran has repeatedly denied Western suspicions it is seeking nuclear weapons capability, insisting its atomic program is exclusively for peaceful, civilian uses.

Israeli military moves major operations to south

The Israeli military has begun construction of its largest training base ever, moving operations from some of the country’s priciest real estate to the barren sands of southern Israel in a new attempt to realize the longtime dream of making the desert bloom.

The $650 million construction project is the military’s biggest in three decades: Beginning in late 2014, 10,000 soldiers will be moved into the new base 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of the city of Beersheba from their current quarters in the country’s Tel Aviv-area heartland.

The program is designed to streamline combat support training, now carried out at multiple facilities, by funneling it into a single site.

But critics question whether it will jumpstart the economy of the Negev region as officials promise. They also note the project doesn’t even discuss benefits for Arab Bedouin who account for a third of the 500,000 Israelis living in the area.

Not since Israel pulled up its bases from Egypt’s Sinai desert in the early 1980s under the two countries’ landmark peace treaty has the military carried out a project of this scope, in terms of cost, number of soldiers involved and sheer physical size, said project director Lt. Col. Shalom Alfassy.

Today, only a few spare buildings stand on the 625 acres (250 hectares) earmarked for the site. But within two years, 2.7 million square feet (250,800 square meters) of construction is supposed to go up, including barracks, hundreds of computerized classrooms, simulation sites and firing ranges.

The base will not train combat soldiers, but drivers, paramedics and other troops who would support them at the front. It will not draw operations from the main military headquarters and Defense Ministry in the heart of Tel Aviv.

The project is part of a broader move to relocate military facilities to the Negev. Alfassy says about half of the bases in Israel’s center will move to the region by the end of the decade.

The Negev accounts for over half of Israel’s land mass but is home to just 8 percent of its 8 million people. Making it flourish was the vision of Israel’s founding father, David Ben-Gurion. But poor services have kept the area languishing, despite a series of government programs and improved road and rail links designed to boost it.

Alfassy believes things will be different this time. He estimates the project will create 20,000 to 30,000 temporary construction jobs for Negev residents. Some 500 civilian workers will work at the base and 2,000 to 2,500 jobs will be created for outside vendors, he predicted.

The military expects 200 to 300 career soldiers will move their families to the south to be near the base, boosting the economy as well as educational and medical services, he said.

Erez Tzfadia, head of the department of public policy and administration at Sapir College in the Negev, scoffed at that notion.

"There are half a million people" in the area where the base is being built, he said. "Will 200 families of career soldiers really pull up the Negev?"

The project’s champions also talk about bringing more buying power to the Negev through the 10,000 soldiers to be based there.

But "soldiers don’t have any money," Tzfadia said. "At most they will buy felafel at the central bus station in Beersheba. You don’t build an economy on that."

None of the tribal Arab Bedouin who have been living in the area for decades will have to move to make way for the base, reducing any opposition to the project. Past attempts to develop the south have been marred by forced evictions of unauthorized Bedouin villages.

At the same time, the relocation program does not specifically consider ways to involve the impoverished Bedouin community.

"They aren’t even taken into consideration as a party that should be a beneficiary, even at the level of discourse," Tzfadia said.

Alfassy said Bedouin would be considered for projects but had no information on plans designed to benefit them.

A top benefit of the relocation is having the military vacate sought-after real estate in central Israel. The Ministry of Construction and Housing estimates 35,000 apartments, including about 9,000 classified as affordable housing, will be built on the emptied sites.

That could bring some relief to the masses of young families who cannot afford their own home in an area where even a modest apartment can cost $500,000.