A Daily Analysis
By Marc Schulman

March 26, 2009--Israel Attacked Iranian Arms Shipment in Sudan

The major news in Israel today was the story the originated from CBS news that during the recent Gaza war Israel had launched a long range raid on a convoy of Iranian arms heading toward Gaza while in the Sudan. The story was indirectly confirmed by Israeli sources and given full credence when Prime Minster Elmer stated that Israel has and will continue to hit threats whatever the distance.

The news underlined some major accomplishments of the Israeli intelligence in the past few years. The success of the operations is more then anything else the success of the intelligence- the ability to learn about the shipments, follow it and transform that intelligence into operational plans that were able to attack a moving target in real time. The attack follows a number of other successful Israeli attacks in the past two years, first and foremost the confirmed attack on the Syrian reactor as well as the assassination of the senior Hezbollah operative Imad Mughniyeh and Syrian general Mohammed Suleiman who was responsible for the Syrian nuclear program and liaison between Syria an Iran.

Most observers believe that since Meir Degan became the head of the Mossad in 2002 he has revitalized and agency that had lost its luster. It is understood that he has concentrated much of his effort at the Irananian nuclear program, lets hope it has been as successful as some reports have indicated.

One last point worth noting, as the final days of what must be considered one of worse Prime Ministership's come to an end, it must be said that PM Olmert has given the Mossad a great deal of lattitude in taking actions against threats beyond Israel's borders. Thankfully all of the actions have been successful.