Hezbollah Listened in on IDF Beepers, Cell Phones, By Ze’ev Schiff (Haaretz)
“Clearly evident in the way Hezbollah operatives managed to track and map the movement of IDF patrols along the border, and thus plan the July 12 raid and ambush in which eight soldiers were killed and two others kidnapped.”
“The matter was raised with then prime minister Ariel Sharon by then Military Intelligence chief Major General Aharon Ze’evi-Farkash, who told Sharon that if Israel does not take the necessary countermeasures, the IDF and its activities will increasingly become transparent to Hezbollah intelligence.”
Commentary;
Sharon was aware, was Olmert? Was the OJT Defense Minister Amir Peretz aware? Does Peretz even know what countermeasures are? Did Mofaz know? Did Yaalon know? Did Halutz even bother with counters? The questions about responsibility, abrogation of responsibility, mal-feasannce go on and on.
Frankly, this author has heard for the past 7 years, since having made Aliyah, about enemy cellular phone listening capabilities in the North. It was thought by this author that soldiers in the North communicating via cellular phones were subject to harsh discipline and punishment.
For context, click here. MB
Excerpts;
Hezbollah intelligence listened to cell phone conversations by Israelis, including Israel Defense Forces officers, as part of its extensive intelligence gathering operation during the recent Lebanon war.
The organization also eavesdropped electronically on messages sent to pagers; some of these messages were transferred through satellite uplinks.
Just as Hezbollah improved its ability to utilize the antitank weapons it acquired and its network of tunnels and bunkers, both along the border and inside southern Lebanon, it also made significant efforts to improve its intelligence gathering apparatus.
This effort was primarily aimed at gathering intelligence on IDF units and their movements, both inside and outside Israel.
This is clearly evident in the way Hezbollah operatives managed to track and map the movement of IDF patrols along the border, and thus plan the July 12 raid and ambush in which eight soldiers were killed and two others kidnapped.
Israel had identified Hezbollah’s efforts to improve its intelligence gathering before the outbreak of the war. The matter was raised with then prime minister Ariel Sharon by then Military Intelligence chief Major General Aharon Ze’evi-Farkash, who told Sharon that if Israel does not take the necessary countermeasures, the IDF and its activities will increasingly become transparent to Hezbollah intelligence.
The issue was also raised by field security officers at meetings of the IDF General Staff.
While Hezbollah has clearly made significant progress in the area of intelligence in general, its main achievements during the war were in tactical intelligence gathering.
The organization received training from Syrian and Iranian intelligence officers and manned observation posts along the border, in places such as Maroun al-Ras.
These observation posts were equipped with sophisticated and expensive gear, mostly Western in origin, and during the war, they reported on IDF movements, especially inside Israel. Hezbollah also tried to run agents inside Israel.
Israel has been doing this sort of intelligence gathering for many years. But it seems that Hezbollah has now become adept at this form of intelligence and analysis as well.