ITALY AIDS LEBANON AGAINST ISRAEL

Italy aids Lebanon against Israel (JNW)
Reports out of Rome revealed Wednesday that the pro-Arab regime of Italian Prime Minister Romana Prodi has chosen to actively support Lebanon against Israel. In order to ensure that Israeli aircraft do not overfly Lebanese territory to monitor Hizb’allah activity should hostilities resume between the two sides, Prodi has given instructions for his Italian Ministry of Defense to push through the sale of the advanced surface-to-air Aster 15 missile system.

DEBKAfile, which scooped this story, described the Aster 15 as “the only Western surface-to-air missile with an active guidance system capable of last-minute corrections of targeting at the moment of interception.” It is designed to shoot down helicopters, warplanes and drones. French president Jaques Chirac, whose country co-developed the Aster 15 with Italy, has approved to the sale.