Iran soldiers killed in Lebanon transferred to Tehran via Syria

Iran soldiers killed in Lebanon transferred to Tehran via Syria
Follows info Revolutionary Guard units assisting Hezbollah against Jewish state

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Posted: July 23, 2006
4:15 p.m. Eastern

By Aaron Klein

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© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

JERUSALEM – The bodies of Iranian Revolutionary Guard soldiers who were killed by the Israeli army in Lebanon have been transported to Syria and flown to Tehran, senior Lebanese political sources told WorldNetDaily.

The information was confirmed by Israeli and Egyptian security officials. It follows scores of reports the past few days Iranian soldiers have been aiding Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon in their attacks against Israel, including help with the firing of rockets into Israeli population centers.

The Lebanese sources said between six and nine deceased Iranian Revolutionary Guard soldiers were brought in trucks last week into Syria for flight back to Iran. They said the bodies were transported along with the tens of thousands of Lebanese civilians fleeing the country into Syria.

Since Israel began its military campaign in Lebanon two weeks ago following a Hezbollah attack on the Jewish state in which two Israeli soldiers were kidnapped, Syrian authorities have reported more than 140,000 Lebanese have entered their country, mostly through open areas in the Syria-Lebanon border.

WND reported earlier this month Israeli security officials said they have "concrete information" hundreds of Iranian soldiers stationed at Hezbollah positions in Lebanon have aided in efforts to fire missiles into the Jewish state.

The Israeli officials said Iranian guards directed the firing two weeks ago of a radar-guided C–802 missile that hit an Israeli navy vessel off the coast of Lebanon, killing four soldiers. Israel says Iran acquired the missile from China.

The officials said the Iranian soldiers' duties include keeping custody of long-range missiles within Hezbollah's arsenal, including Zalzal rockets which are said to have a range of 125 miles, placing Tel Aviv within firing range.

Jordanian officials told WND they are "100 percent sure" Iranian Revolutionary Guard unit soldiers have fired rockets into Israel. They also said the Syrian army has provided Hezbollah with intelligence information on the locations of strategic Israeli targets to aid in Hezbollah rocket fire.

A Ba'ath party official operating out of the Golan Heights told WND he has information Iranian soldiers have been firing rockets into Israel.

A senior Egyptian security official told WND it would be "very logical" if Iranian Revolutionary Guard soldiers have been helping Hezbollah fire the rockets.

Israel has long maintained Iranian Revolutionary Guard units have traveled regularly to south Lebanon to help train local Hezbollah fighters in terrorist tactics and to fortify Hezbollah positions along Israel's northern border.

At times, Revolutionary Guard soldiers could be seen operating openly at Hezbollah outposts in plain view from the Israeli side, military officials say.

Iran and Syria are the largest financial sponsors of Hezbollah. Israel says many Hezbollah rockets were made in or upgraded by Iran.

Earlier, Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mark Regev said Israel has information Hezbollah was trying to transfer the two soldiers it kidnapped to Iran.

Hezbollah has fired over 1000 rockets into northern Israeli towns the past two weeks. Dozens of rockets have slammed into Haifa, Israel's third largest city. Fifteen Israelis have been killed in the attacks, which have prompted over 2 million citizens – about one-third of the Jewish state – to live under the threat of rockets.