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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Why did Hezbollah strike the Israeli 'Meron' intel, airforce base?</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">Al Mayadeen English - January 6, 2024<br></div>
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<div class="gmail-moz-reader-content gmail-reader-show-element"><div id="gmail-readability-page-1" class="gmail-page"><p>This
is the first time during this battle that Hezbollah strikes Mount
"Meron" and its military base serving as the primary security and
military command center for aerial warfare and intelligence on the
northern front.</p><img src="cid:ii_lr2y92654" alt="5a6c4ef0-cba4-4281-b267-5796553ca94c.jpeg" width="391" height="216"><br><div><ul id="gmail-content-slick-0"><div aria-hidden="false"><li>An aerial image of the Israeli army air control and
surveillance "Meron" base, revealing advanced radar systems,
communication systems, and monitoring equipment.
</li></div></ul>
<p>In a significant development, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/as-initial-response--hezbollah-hits-israeli-intel-hq-with-62">Hezbollah</a>
announced on Saturday morning that it had targeted the Israeli army air
control and surveillance "Meron" Base, situated atop Mount Jarmaq.</p>
<p>This attack marked the first time that the base, a strategic center
for the entire Israeli entity, and a primary intelligence and military
command hub on the northern front, had been targeted during the ongoing
border escalations between the Resistance and the occupation army.</p>
<h2>"Meron" Base: A hub for Israeli electronic warfare in the region</h2>
<p>Located just 8 kilometers from Lebanon's southern border, "Meron"
Base overlooks the Lebanese towns of Rmeish, Yaroun, and Maroun al-Ras
in the central sector. It occupies the summit of Mount Jarmaq in
northern occupied Palestine, making it the highest peak within the
occupied territories.</p>
<p>Sitting at an altitude of approximately 1200 meters above sea level,
the base sprawls across an area of up to 150,000 square meters, with a
substantial portion of the surrounding areas believed to be under its
control for military and intelligence purposes.</p>
<p>According to the Resistance statement released today, "Meron" primarily serves as an aerial surveillance center.</p>
<p>It is the sole facility responsible for managing and controlling air
operations toward Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, and Cyprus, as well as the
northern part of the eastern Mediterranean Sea basin. Moreover, this
base acts as a central hub for electronic warfare interference in the
mentioned directions, staffed by a significant number of elite Israeli
officers and soldiers.</p>
<p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/hezbollah-s--meron--attack--trailer--of-what-is-to-come--isr">Hezbollah's 'Meron' attack 'trailer' of what is to come: Israeli media</a></strong></p><img src="cid:ii_lr2y87s93" alt="bb4db38d-78e0-4773-879c-765db6ff726f.jpg" width="391" height="338"><br>
<ul id="gmail-content-slick-1"><div aria-hidden="false"><li>
mountain's top as seen from Lebanon</li><li><img src="cid:ii_lr2y726i2" alt="ce9a5d9d-729b-44a5-a1ca-2e3259e48169.jpg" width="383" height="391"><br></li></div></ul><ul id="gmail-content-slick-2"><div aria-hidden="false"><li>Mount "Meron"/Jarmaq from the Lebanese town of Yaroun
</li></div></ul>
<p>A report by a specialized research group based in the US state of
Texas, which was brought to light by Israeli media months ago, revealed
problems in pinpointing the locations of some civilian aircraft in the
region, particularly over southern Lebanon and northern occupied
Palestine.</p>
<p>After precise monitoring of jamming signals disrupting receivers'
ability to detect satellite waves, "Mount Meron" was determined as the
source of interference against civilian GPS devices.</p>
<p>Indeed, satellite-based location systems were entirely disrupted
during the first week following the Al-Aqsa Flood operation. Israeli
media reported that the disruption was aimed at preventing the
Resistance in Lebanon from using devices for precise missile or drone
strikes against the entity.</p>
<p>The targeting of "Meron" by Hezbollah holds <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israeli-settlers-fear-new-kind-of-war-with-hezbollah--washin">strategic significance</a> of disrupting, or even with later operations potentially hindering, "Israel's" ability to conduct precise military strikes.</p>
<h2>A center for aerial operations against Lebanon and Syria</h2>
<p>Historically, the high-base served as the command center for Israeli
aerial operations and surveillance on the northern front of the
occupation. </p>
<p>Its geographical position offers direct surveillance of a substantial portion of <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/liberation-of-south-lebanon-perk-of-aiding-gaza--sayyed-nasr">Lebanese territory</a>
and complete oversight, including broadcasting and receiving
capabilities. This provides the base with powerful control and
communication abilities towards Lebanon. Moreover, for hostile
operations against Syria, "Meron" Base is complemented by radar and
broadcasting facilities located on the occupied Mount Hermon,
overlooking Syrian territories.</p>
<p>In recent years, the base has gained increased significance, especially with the expanded use of military drones.</p>
<p>As "Israel" increasingly relies on UAVs for intelligence gathering in
Lebanon and Syria on a nearly daily basis, the base has emerged as the
primary command center for aerial operations against both countries. It
facilitates direct communication with the drones, ensuring uninterrupted
connectivity and making it more challenging to disrupt their signals.
The base also streamlines military operations due to the concentration
of communication devices, command centers, and radars on "Mount Meron."</p>
<p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/lebanon-files-complaint-with-un-over-israeli-aggressions">Lebanon files complaint with UN over Israeli aggressions</a></strong></p>
<h2>Advanced Intelligence gathering capabilities</h2>
<p>Thanks to its extensive geographical oversight of Lebanese territory,
the base can receive and broadcast various wireless communications
directly to and from Lebanon. This makes it a critical communication
component with informants and a central hub for tracking and monitoring
wireless communications, including espionage activities.</p>
<p>The base's giant advanced cameras and modern monitoring devices
provide strategic oversight over a large portion of the line between
Lebanon and occupied Palestine. It also covers Israeli sites and their
corresponding locations in Lebanon.</p>
<p>Consequently, "Meron" Base plays a pivotal role in intelligence
gathering that was previously concentrated in locations in proximity
with the Lebanese borders, many of which have been targeted and
destroyed by the Resistance in recent weeks.</p>
<p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/unsure--israel--will-be-able-to-fight-hezbollah--ex-mossad-o">Unsure 'Israel' will be able to fight Hezbollah: Ex-Mossad officials</a></strong></p>
<h2>Meron as a strategic target</h2>
<p>The strategic base has not been immune to threats since the beginning of the military escalation in southern Lebanon.</p>
<p>Many Israeli analysts have spoken about the possible evolution of the
Resistance's targets list. This is particularly relevant given that
Hezbollah previously repeatedly struck the base during the 2006 July
war, which resulted in the death of two settlers and the injury of five
others, as acknowledged by Israelis.</p>
<p>However, attacking the base today during a period below the threshold
of an all-out war constitutes a heavy blow to the entity. Its
implications go beyond direct consequences.</p>
<p>The Resistance has meticulously chosen the nature of its targets
throughout this period as part of its precise management of the
escalation ladder with the Israelis.</p>
<p>Over the past three months, Hezbollah has effectively controlled the
pace and general course of events, compelling the Israelis to adhere to
its equations.</p>
<p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israeli-settlers-fear-new-kind-of-war-with-hezbollah--washin">Israeli settlers fear new kind of war with Hezbollah: Washington Post</a></strong></p>
<p>This applies to the military operations zone, the nature of the
strikes within Lebanon, and the deterrence of the occupation from
targeting Lebanese civilians within the equation of reciprocity.</p>
<p>However, "Israel's" assassination of Palestinian Resistance leader <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/how-did-martyr-saleh-al-arouri-pose-a-threat-to-the-occupati">Sheikh Saleh Al-Arouri</a>
and a number of his comrades in Beirut's southern suburb (Dahyeh) with
missile strikes, prompted Hezbollah to opt for an escalation.</p>
<p>Today's strike was described by Hezbollah as an "Initial Response" to
the assassination of al-Arouri, leaving the door open for potential
confrontations should the occupation entity decide to respond to this
escalation in kind.</p>
<h2>Historical and religious significance</h2>
<p>In addition to the military and intelligence critical role it
provides to the Israeli entity, the "Meron" Base holds special
importance for Zionist Jews, as they consider the mountain itself to be
mentioned in the Torah and revere a tomb they claim belongs to a Jewish
Rabbi who lived in the second century AD.</p>
<p>Annually, Zionist Jews hold celebrations near his alleged tomb
located in the settlement of "Meron" on the eastern slope of the
mountain, overlooking the Lebanese side, situated about one and a half
kilometers from the mountain's peak and the base.</p>
<p>Within this settlement, which has a population of approximately 1,500
inhabitants at best, there are several graves and shrines that Zionist
Jews claim belong to revered figures. They insist on celebrating there
annually because the area holds particular sanctity for Eastern
Sephardic Jews.</p>
<p>The settlement was established after the Nakba in 1949 on the ruins
of the Palestinian town of Meron. Meanwhile, occupation settlers looted
its artifacts and a history dating back about 2,000 years.</p>
<p>It was within this settlement that the largest non-military
catastrophe in the history of the occupation occurred in 2021 when
grandstands collapsed during religious commemorations attended by
settlers. The stampede resulted in the deaths of approximately 50
settlers.</p>
<p><strong>Read more: I<a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israeli-military-achieved-no-goals-in-gaza--hamas-in-control">sraeli military achieved no goals in Gaza, Hamas in control</a></strong></p><ul id="gmail-content-slick-3"><div aria-hidden="false"><li><img src="cid:ii_lr2y4ad51" alt="3cdbdb13-652d-45c9-a82d-20c8fe6df5ad.jpg" width="391" height="181"><br>The Zionists' "sacred shrine" for Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in "Meron".
</li></div></ul>
<h2>A severe response</h2>
<p>Striking the "Meron" Base with precision-guided missiles marks
Hezbollah's confirmation that it has introduced the latest-generation
Kornet E-M missiles into the battle.</p>
<p>These missiles have a range of up to 10 kilometers and were most
likely used in the accurate targeting of the base, as indicated by
footage recorded by one of the Zionist settlers during the strike today.</p><img src="cid:ii_lr2y2d6y0" alt="a563a31e-e4e8-4f04-8cb1-467a2ec6189f.jpg" width="391" height="276"><br><ul id="gmail-content-slick-4"><div aria-hidden="false"><li>
A Kornet E-M system in an arms exhibition ( © RIA Novosti / Alexander Melnikov)
</li></div></ul>
<p>The precision targeting of a base of such importance, housing command
centers and equipment worth hundreds of millions of dollars and
regularly hosting leaders of the occupation's military, in addition to
specialized and elite personnel, is indicative of the base now serving
as a prime target for the Resistance. It also signifies that the Israeli
entity is facing a genuine predicament.</p>
<p>While its main headquarters in the north is now under imminent threat
from Hezbollah, the occupation entity cannot evacuate the base, pushing
"Israel" into a very difficult dilemma. Additionally, the Resistance
has effectively pushed the front line with the Israeli entity to 8
kilometers inside the occupied Palestinian borders.</p>
<p>Furthermore, Israeli generals had believed that their main
headquarters were largely out of the Resistance's reach and that their
war against it was mostly remote, relying on aircraft and drones. This
has changed after the operation today.</p>
<p>Most importantly, given the base's role in operating and coordinating
air strikes, the base is a central target to respond to the occupation
army for assassinating al-Arouri earlier this week.</p>
<p>Therefore, it can be concluded that the "calamity of the occupation
is great" today, as the military leadership's headquarters in the north
has been targeted. This means that the Resistance has placed the ball in
the court of the Israeli army and its government.</p>
<p>Israelis must choose between remaining silent in the face of this
humiliating and perilous strike, or heading toward a response, the
repercussions and limits of which they do not know.</p>
<p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/uk-intel-officer-cnn-staffer-suspected-for-spying-on-hezboll">UK intel officer/CNN staffer suspected for spying on Hezbollah in Leb.</a></strong></p></div></div></div>
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