Why did Hezbollah strike the Israeli 'Meron' intel, airforce base?
By
Al Mayadeen English
Source: Hadi Hoteit, translated by Hussein Assaf
6 Jan 2024 21:12
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This is the first time during this battle that Hezbollah strikes Mount "Meron" and its military base serving as the primary security and military command center for aerial warfare and intelligence on the northern front.
In a significant development, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon Hezbollah announced on Saturday morning that it had targeted the Israeli army air control and surveillance "Meron" Base, situated atop Mount Jarmaq.
This attack marked the first time that the base, a strategic center for the entire Israeli entity, and a primary intelligence and military command hub on the northern front, had been targeted during the ongoing border escalations between the Resistance and the occupation army.
"Meron" Base: A hub for Israeli electronic warfare in the region
Located just 8 kilometers from Lebanon's southern border, "Meron" Base overlooks the Lebanese towns of Rmeish, Yaroun, and Maroun al-Ras in the central sector. It occupies the summit of Mount Jarmaq in northern occupied Palestine, making it the highest peak within the occupied territories.
Sitting at an altitude of approximately 1200 meters above sea level, the base sprawls across an area of up to 150,000 square meters, with a substantial portion of the surrounding areas believed to be under its control for military and intelligence purposes.
According to the Resistance statement released today, "Meron" primarily serves as an aerial surveillance center.
It is the sole facility responsible for managing and controlling air operations toward Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, and Cyprus, as well as the northern part of the eastern Mediterranean Sea basin. Moreover, this base acts as a central hub for electronic warfare interference in the mentioned directions, staffed by a significant number of elite Israeli officers and soldiers.
Read more: Hezbollah's 'Meron' attack 'trailer' of what is to come: Israeli media
A report by a specialized research group based in the US state of Texas, which was brought to light by Israeli media months ago, revealed problems in pinpointing the locations of some civilian aircraft in the region, particularly over southern Lebanon and northern occupied Palestine.
After precise monitoring of jamming signals disrupting receivers' ability to detect satellite waves, "Mount Meron" was determined as the source of interference against civilian GPS devices.
Indeed, satellite-based location systems were entirely disrupted during the first week following the Al-Aqsa Flood operation. Israeli media reported that the disruption was aimed at preventing the Resistance in Lebanon from using devices for precise missile or drone strikes against the entity.
The targeting of "Meron" by Hezbollah holds strategic significance of disrupting, or even with later operations potentially hindering, "Israel's" ability to conduct precise military strikes.
A center for aerial operations against Lebanon and Syria
Historically, the high-base served as the command center for Israeli aerial operations and surveillance on the northern front of the occupation.
Its geographical position offers direct surveillance of a substantial portion of Lebanese territory and complete oversight, including broadcasting and receiving capabilities. This provides the base with powerful control and communication abilities towards Lebanon. Moreover, for hostile operations against Syria, "Meron" Base is complemented by radar and broadcasting facilities located on the occupied Mount Hermon, overlooking Syrian territories.
In recent years, the base has gained increased significance, especially with the expanded use of military drones.
As "Israel" increasingly relies on UAVs for intelligence gathering in Lebanon and Syria on a nearly daily basis, the base has emerged as the primary command center for aerial operations against both countries. It facilitates direct communication with the drones, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity and making it more challenging to disrupt their signals. The base also streamlines military operations due to the concentration of communication devices, command centers, and radars on "Mount Meron."
