Debka is reporting here on a congressional research service report that Syria has obtained midget submarines from North Korea.DEBKAfile’s military sources report that the North Korean miniature subs are capable of dropping small teams of commando forces on enemy shores, damaging large warships and mining the approaches of naval bases and harbors. They are capable of sowing EM-52 “rising mines” originally developed by China, which lurk on deep sea beds until triggered by a passing ship to release a missile which shoots up to strike its hull.
This weapon substantially enhances the Syrian and Iranian navies’ menace, a development Israel will have take into account in the defenses of its Mediterranean naval bases and commercial ports.
Analysis. Based on the picture and the description these midget submarines would appear to be of the North Korean Sang-o Class. Details on this class may be found here. Details on the EM-52 “rising mine” may be found here.
The Iranians are becoming very adept at pushing the Israelis around until they get them to attack. That allows Iran to be the defending party as far as World support is concerned.
If this reminds you a lot of the period just prior to the Six Day War (1967), it should. Only then is was Syria, Jordan and Egypt pushing the buttons by doing such things as blockading the Israeli Red Sea port of Elat.
Why would the Iranians want Israel to attack? It is all religious I believe. Shiite theology requires that there be large scale chaos in the World for the “Hidden Imam” to cause himself to reappear from the well in Iraq.
The Shiites believe that his reappearance will lead Islam to world domination. What it will lead to is war on at least two fronts:Eastern and Western. There may also be a southern front emanating from Yemen depending on the settlement of the Houthi rebellion.
This is also the reason that Iran is so interested in having a lot of control over Iraq. Not only is southeastern Iraq majority Shiite, it is where the major Shiite shrines are located.
The open question at the moment is how will the Sunni Arab states react. The Saudis are not happy at all that their support of the Yemeni government did not allow the Yemenis to defeat the Houthis.
Presuming that Iran manages to settle the rebellion, at worst that hurts Saudi pride. At best it gives the Iranians a base from which to threaten the Red Sea portion of Saudi Arabia, and especially Mecca and Medina, directly.
The Saudis would be effectively surrounded and vulnerable with the Hajj coming up. Israel is not the only country that is having its buttons pushed.
Source: World Threats
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