Outgoing Israeli intelligence chief warns of Syria's 'renewed and modern' weaponry

[News_Editor]

Outgoing Israeli intelligence chief warns of Syria's 'renewed and modern' weaponry

2010-11-03 02:18:31 GMT+7 (ICT)

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL (BNO NEWS) -- The outgoing Military Intelligence chief Amos Yadin on Tuesday warned Israel of Syria's 'renewed and modernized weaponry' that poses a 'serious threat' to the country.

According to the Haaretz newspaper, Yadin also warned that Israel's next armed conflict would cause far heavier damage and casualties than other conflict before as it would be fought on several fronts.

Yadin spoke at his final meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee as he prepares to depart from his post as commander of army intelligence. He added that the country is currently living a period of relative calm but Israel's enemies are rearming and pose the greatest threat to Israel since the 1970s.

"I've seen three defense ministers, two chiefs of staff and two prime ministers come and go, I've been through two wars and I've contended with two nuclear programs of enemy states," Yadin said at the Knesset meeting.

The intelligence chief pointed out that Syria is the biggest threat to Israel as of now. Syria has been modernizing and renewing its army, weaponry and technology. According to Yadin, Syria has acquired advanced antiaircraft missiles from Russia that could seriously limit the operational freedom of the Israel Air Force.

Despite Syria failed to purchase Russian S-300 missiles, it managed to improve its defense systems to a level that can equal the force of the Israeli military as seen back in the 1970s, Yadin said. Israel prevented Syria from acquiring the Russian missiles as they considered it a great potential threat against them.

In 1973, Syria almost defeated Israel in a surprise attack, although Israel eventually won. Yadin also hinted on the Israeli involvement in the attack on a Syrian nuclear plant in September 2007. Israel has always denied involvement in the attack despite that the international community attribute the operation to Israel.

Yadin ended his speech by warning of the growing threat that represents the Iranian Nuclear program as he revealed that the Islamic country has now enough highly enriched uranium to build a nuclear bomb.

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