The collapse of Iron Dome

TEHRAN, Oct. 22 (MNA) -- Hezbollah recently sent a drone over Israel in order to gain a better understanding of the Zionist regime’s military capabilities. The operation also demonstrated the weakness of the so-called Iron Dome of the Zionist regime’s defense space, and it became clear that the Israelis cannot be safe from the retaliation of Hezbollah if they infringe on Lebanon’s territorial integrity. Israel’s inability to respond swiftly to the drone operation was the most significant part of the story. Hezbollah’s drone flew hundreds of kilometers into Israeli airspace and got very close to the Dimona nuclear plant without being detected by advanced Israeli and U.S. radar systems. However, in a similar operation conducted by the United States over Iranian airspace in late 2011, Iran swiftly downed the drone using its sophisticated military and radar systems. The Israeli military’s inability to break the code of the Iranian-made drone shattered Israel’s myth of invincibility. This was not the first time Hezbollah displayed its drone capabilities. During the hearings of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Hezbollah provided the court evidence about an Israeli drone incursion into Lebanon that was carried out to track former prime minister Rafik Hariri. And during the 2006 summer war with Israel, Hezbollah again gained the upper hand and was able to break the codes of Israeli drones. The drone operation also proved that Iranian-manufactured drones are able to fly over Israeli nuclear facilities. But can U.S. or Israeli drones replicate such an achievement and fly over a sensitive nuclear site in Iran like Natanz or Fordow? Hezbollah’s drone operation was a calculated measure, incurring the least possible cost on Iran’s ally but imposing a heavy psychological defeat on Iran’s main regional enemy. The operation also showed the futility of the latest moves by the Israeli lobby, which has been intensifying its efforts to persuade the U.S. government to launch a military strike against Iran over the past few months. In other words, U.S. officials have clearly understood that attacking Iran would be suicide if they plan to rely on Israel and its weak military capabilities. Hossein Sheikholeslam formerly served as Iran’s ambassador to Syria. He is currently the parliament speaker’s advisor on international issues. (By Hossein Sheikholeslam)