Special to WorldTribune.com

LONDON — Israel has sent additional forces to its borders
with Lebanon and Syria.

The Saudi-owned Al Hayat daily, quoting Israeli security sources, said the deployment was meant to
counter any attack from its northern neighbors amid increasing international
pressure on Iran, Syria and Hizbullah.

“Israel has decided to deploy three armored units at its northern
border with Syria and Lebanon in fear that Arab economic sanctions on Syria
would inflame the region,” Al Hayat said.

In a report on Nov. 28, the London-based daily said Israel has joined
six other Middle East countries that have raised their military preparedness
in wake of Arab and Western sanctions on the regime of Syrian President
Bashar Assad. Al Hayat said Israel was retaining the option of sending
additional military units to the Syrian border.

“It also has stepped up its work to complete the security fence
surrounding the Syrian border and digging trenches,” Al Hayat said.

Israeli sources said the military deployment along the frontiers with
Lebanon and Syria took place amid unprecedented Iranian activity in the
Levant. The sources were quoted as saying that Iran has maintained an air
resupply of the Syrian Army, including weapons and troops from Hizbullah and
the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Al Hayat said Russia has also helped the Assad military. The newspaper
said the Kremlin has sent such advanced weapons as the Pantsyr-S1 mobile
short-range air defense system, meant to intercept low-flying helicopters
and unmanned aerial vehicles.

  Bashar Assad, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Israel deploys three armored units on northern border, Kremlin, Pantsyr-S1 mobile short-range air defense system