With telling embarrassment, Iran is rowing back comments made by an adviser to the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The problem? The adviser inadvertently admitted that Iran values Lebanon only as its puppet.
Speaking on Monday, retired Gen. Morteza Qorbani told an Iranian news outlet that Iran did not need to use ballistic missiles in Iran to effectively attack Israel. Instead, Qorbani said, if "the Zionist regime makes the smallest mistake toward Iran, we will reduce Tel Aviv to ashes from Lebanon."
That sparked quick pushback in Lebanon, even from Iran's allies there.
That advisor made what is known as a Kinsley gaffe.
This threat is nothing new.
You'd think it would be a natural line for our information operations in the Arab world to point out how Iran is willing to fight Israel to the last Arab.
UPDATE: While I was skeptical (in this data dump) that reports of Iran moving short-range missiles into Iraq to attack Israel were credible, my definition of short-range isn't the same as everybody's, I guess:
Israel believes Iran is moving short range (under 1,000 kilometers) ballistic missiles into Iraq and concealing them in areas where pro-Iran militias are dominant. These would be used in the event of a war with Israel, along with rockets and missiles already in Lebanon and Gaza.
Okay, that has the range to hit Israel. I was skeptical that anything big enough to hit Israel from Iraq could be hidden for long. Perhaps the question is open about how well hidden they are.
