Iran’s “floating” terror bases

BY DAVID SAFFER

Iran is constructing ‘floating terror bases’ Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told delegates at the 2023 Herzliya conference at Reichman University on Monday.

Gallant detailed the Iranian regime’s strategy to adapt merchant vessels into military ships armed with UAVs and missile systems together with advanced intelligence gathering in the Middle East region.

Noting the terror bases were an extension of Iran’s ongoing maritime terrorism, Gallant added: “Iran aims to expand its reach to the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and even the shores of the Mediterranean. This is a structured plan designed to threaten trade and flight routes, both military and civilian, and to create a permanent threat in the maritime arena.” Gallant continued: “This is a troubling policy of maritime terrorism. Iran conducts itself in this context more like a collection of pirates than a civilised nation.”

The defense minister said Israel would confront Iranian terrorism in the air, sea and land through international cooperation.

Regarding Iran’s nuclear program, Gallant noted: “Iran, with nuclear weapons, poses a severe strategic threat to the entire world, including Israel and other countries in the Middle East. Enriching uranium to 90% would be a grave mistake on Iran’s part, and the regime in Tehran should understand that this would come at a heavy price and have severe consequences for the Middle East. When it comes to Iran’s intention to acquire nuclear weapons, all options are on the table.”

He added: “With the changes in the Middle East, Iran is moving westward and attempting to create a land bridge from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea through its proxies, aiming to dominate the extremist Shiite ideology and the Iranian regime of darkness.

“Since I took office, the number of Israeli attacks against Iranians in Syria has doubled. As part of this campaign, we systematically work to target Iranian intelligence capabilities in Syria, these attacks cause significant damage to the consolidation efforts of the Revolutionary Guards, just a few kilometers from the Israeli border.

Syria’s rejoining of the Arab League will be inconsequential for Israel as long as Syria remains fertile ground for Shiite terrorism and allows Iran and its proxies to operate from its territory. As long as this is the situation, Syria will encounter the strength of our security system. However, it is important to emphasise that our target is Iranian activity, not the Syrian state.”

IMOD Director General, Major General (res.) Eyal Zamir, addressed the conference on transforming Israel into an ‘AI powerhouse’ similar to its standing in cyber by increased research and development.

Zamir noted the ‘Iron Beam’ laser power system is being developed at an “impressive pace” and Israeli defense industries are working “around the clock” to make it happen.

He explained: “The key to victory in emerging and future battlefields lies in the relationship between military power, the use of technological, advanced and innovative tools, and the ability to continually ensure superiority over our enemies in these fields. This is a complex task, especially due to rapidly changing strategies among players in the Middle East.”

Zamir added: “Our cyber capabilities are among the most advanced in the world and are constantly being enhanced. Some define AI as the next revolution on the battlefield. AI technologies will create many additional capabilities including the operation of platforms in groups and swarms and independently operated combat systems. These technologies will integrate into the battlefield and provide an advantage to those who know how to develop them and use them operationally.”

Zamir said an increased research budget was necessary to develop cutting-edge technology.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi warned on Tuesday that Israel had capabilities to act against Iran.

He would not go into detail, but reportedly said: “We have the capabilities, it is significant and important.”

Regarding Hezbollah being a challenge in Lebanon he reportedly observed: “It believes that it understands how we think, and that emboldens it to challenge us when it is confident that it will not lead to war. I see this as a good opportunity to create surprises.”

As for Judea and Samaria, Halevi said a “functioning” Palestinian Authority was preferable to the “rise of Hamas to power”.

Halevi heralded Israel’s policy of targeted assassinations during the campaign against Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip.

“When there is a senior terrorist operative doing everything to harm Israelis, we will do everything to remove him from the equation,” he explained.