Missiles can reach UK say Iran

On that subject
You haven’t responded to my post of yesterday
Here’s a reminder

Yup. The article is 3 years old. The tunnels gone. All cargo searched. Yet here we are, one of the reasons given for bombing Iran, 1000 miles away, is that they supply Hamas. I am not seeing anyone say it's because they did supply Hamas. You know... before the Gaza war.

So my question is still valid so long as the supplying Hamas argument is used. How does money in Qatar translate to arms for Hamas ?

It's not as if this is some mystery that hasn't been reported on. Hamas brought them in through its tunnel network that crosses the border with Egypt, by sea, concealed in the import of other goods, and by making them locally with Iran's assistance.

How does Hamas get its weapons? A mix of improvisation, resourcefulness and a key overseas benefactor

The Iran factor
“Hamas acquires its weapons through smuggling or local construction and receives some military support from Iran,” the CIA’s World Factbook says.
While the Israeli and US governments have yet to find any direct role by Iran in last weekend’s raids, experts say the Islamic Republic has long been* *Hamas’ main military supporter, smuggling weapons into the enclave through clandestine cross-border tunnels or boats that have escaped the Mediterranean blockade.

“Hamas’ tunnel infrastructure is still massive despite Israel and Egypt regularly degrading it,” said Bilal Saab, senior fellow and director of the Defense and Security Program at the Middle East Institute (MEI) in Washington.
“Hamas has received arms from Iran smuggled into the (Gaza) Strip via tunnels. This often included longer-range systems,” said Daniel Byman, a senior fellow with the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

“Iran has also been shipping Hamas its more advanced … ballistic missiles via sea, in components for construction in Gaza,” said Charles Lister, senior fellow at the MEI.

But Iran has been a mentor, too, analysts say.

“Iran also helped Hamas with its indigenous manufacturing, enabling Hamas to create its own arsenals,” said Byman at the CSIS.

A senior Hamas official based in Lebanon gave details of the Hamas’ weapons manufacturing in an edited interview with Russia Today’s Arabic-news channel RTArabic published on their website on Sunday.

“We have local factories for everything, for rockets with ranges of 250 km, for 160 km, 80km, and 10 km. We have factories for mortars and their shells. … We have factories for Kalashnikovs (rifles) and their bullets. We’re manufacturing the bullets with permission from the Russians. We’re building it in Gaza,” Ali Baraka, head of Hamas National Relations Abroad, is quoted as saying.

'So even if for Hamas, how do they get to Hamas in Gaza ?'

You must know there are lots of corrupt organisations out there so for every 3 rifles picked up there will be container after container waved through. How do you think hamas have been murdering their own civilians, with bow and arrows?

Article here from last year, Jerusalem Post:

Israeli military seizes weapons smuggled from Egypt | The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com)

Three rifles intercepted being smuggled by drone over the Egypt border. Note this part of the article :

"Regarding the weapons, the IDF's statement did not clarify whether the smuggled weapons were intended for terrorists in Gaza or criminal gangs in southern Israel."

Three rifles, and it is not clear who they were for. And note this too :

"The IDF has intercepted several similar attempts to smuggle weapons over the Egyptian border into Israel in recent weeks."

That's into Israel. Not Gaza. So even if for Hamas, how do they get to Hamas in Gaza ?

This is my point. Iran fund and supply is the claim. But how they do it is never mentioned. Just handwaved away. Yet it is a reason given for bombing Iran.

Well they smuggle them. I wonder if there's a documentary or something you could watch for how terrorists operate?

And how do they get them in into Gaza ?

These rockets and missiles that are funded by Iran.

I’m surprised anyone is asking how terrorists are armed but @Gloriiahas the answer.

Well. They contact bad people who sell them weapons.

How on earth have you no ideal about illegal arms deals, smuggling etc?

You think all terrorists world wide pop to Tesco for their weapons?

How do they do that then ? Pop down to the local gun shop ?

They won’t spend it on stuff for the people obviously, but why not weapons? The usual, stuff to fight with.

And ?

So Hamas are sitting there with a bank statement saying they have 50 mil in the bank. What now ?

'And what good does money in Qatar do to help Hamas ? How does the money get there, and what do Hamas spend it on ?'

You must've heard of bank transfers surely? I agree it would be a bit impractical for Qatar hamas terrorists to pop on a plane with caseloads of money. Surely you've also heard of illegal arms deals? I'd bet a tenner that's what hamas spend their money on. Obviously.

What question would I like to see answers to ? How about the one you avoided ?

I asked : "But what Israel has not explained is how Iran funds and supplies Hamas and Hezbollah from 1000 miles away. Especially Hamas, which is totally locked in. It's not as if Iran can ship in containers of rockets. And it's not as if Hamas can pop out to an arms fair to buy arms with a wad of cash from Iran. And if Hezbollah are funding from petrol stations in Lebanon as Israel claim, do they need Iranian money ?"

You said "tunnels" and "Qatar".

The tunnels are gone. And what good does money in Qatar do to help Hamas ? How does the money get there, and what do Hamas spend it on ?

And BTW why did Iran arrest lindsay and Craig forman if they love the UK?

And there have already been iranian funded attacks - thankfully mostly foiled thanks to good intelligence - in the UK. Dont fool yourself- the IRGC see you as the enemy. Perhaps useful fools but still enemies.

What question would you like answered?
Hamas is not an iranian proxy the way hezbollah is but is certainly funded by Iran. And it was armed via smuggling and tunnels. And funded through many different channels, not least via Hamas leaders living happily in Qatar.

To even question that Hezbollah is a proxy of Iran is risible. It's like questioning if the pope is Catholic. Why did Lebanon expel the Iranian ambassador? Because they're sick of Iran using Lebanon to fight their wars via Hezbollah.

Why was Hezbollah even firing missiles at Israel? Israel had withdrawn from every last inch of Lebanon 20 years ago as certified by the UN

I think everyone is aware of the Hamas stuff etc, but there does seem to be a be a lack of clarity and agreement on why Iran.

For example, just the other day the IDF were still doing airstrikes in Gaza. They have troops in Lebanon, and are doing strikes all over southern Lebanon, with some of their latest being against petrol station chains that the IDF claim are Hezbollah run. And yup, it can be argued that is all justified.

So after over 2 years of war in Gaza, a tiny enclave, Hamas are still not defeated. And the same really can be said about Hezbollah. And now that front is being raised to the same level as Gaza, where razing seems to be the method preferred.

But what Israel has not explained is how Iran funds and supplies Hamas and Hezbollah from 1000 miles away. Especially Hamas, which is totally locked in. It's not as if Iran can ship in containers of rockets. And it's not as if Hamas can pop out to an arms fair to buy arms with a wad of cash from Iran. And if Hezbollah are funding from petrol stations in Lebanon as Israel claim, do they need Iranian money ?

And now a new front in Iran, 1k miles from Israel, with the same method of bombing and destruction that has so far not been demonstrated to work in tiny Gaza.

So if their method has not been shown to work in Gaza, how on earth do they expect it to work with Iran, a nation the size of western Europe, and with a population of 90 million.

And of course, Israel and the US appear to have different aims re Iran. Trump has claimed victory several times. Israel are stepping up their campaign with non stop mission creep.

And on top of all this, Israel have not explained why Iran would attack London.

Israel do an awful lot of handwaving away of how they think bombing Iran will work. Or Lebanon. And they never seem to explain how Iran manage to do what they claim Iran does. Just vague statements with no detail at all.

They really should try to answer some of the questions put to them.

So Iran is allowed to fund and direct hezbollah and the houthis to fire missiles and attack Israel? And apparently israel cannot respond to Iran?

And Iran is allowed to openly state it wishes to wipe israel off the map and israel should just sit back and allow it do so? If there's one thing Jewish history has taught us, if someone says they want to destroy you - believe them.

Unprovoked? Apart from using their proxies in Hezbollah and the Houthis to fire missiles and attack Israel. And funding Hamas too. This is literally their stated aim with the 'axis of resistance'.

Fine you don't care about Iran wanting to annihilate Israel, that's ok. But israel cares a lot and takes them at their word. Casus beli.

Yeah, I'm sure Lindsay and Craig Foreman were really mossad spies.

Aren't they just defending their country from an unprovoked attack? Oh they have WMDs is it?

Also, if they want to obliterate Israel it has fuck all to do with the UK. Why should we be bothered about anyone else's wars, as if we don't have anything to worry about here.

You are beautifully emphasising my point - thank you.

I wouldn't disagree with some of that...

I do have a major problem with some MPs and at least one junior minister who were making very missleading statements at the weekend about how well the UK is defended from a missile threat, Iranian or not...