SA-24 Shoulder Missiles in Syria?

13/3/2012 Arie Egozi - israeldefense.com

According to foreign media reports, such missiles, which were in warehouses belonging to the Libyan army, have made their way to Syria and Hezbollah via Iran

Israel has yet to comment on reports that some of the advanced SA-24 shoulder-mounted missiles that were in Libyan military warehouses have made their way to Syria and to Hezbollah. Several sources have reported that these missiles are now in the hands of Syria and Hezbollah.

According to a report by the aviation journal "Aviation Week," some of the 480 missiles of this variant, which were in Qaddafi's warehouses, reached the hands of the Syrian army and the Lebanese terror organization. According to the reports, the missiles were initially transferred to Iran, and from there found their way to the two destinations.

The SA-24 missile is an advanced shoulder-mounted missile capable of intercepting aircraft at a height of up to 11,000 feet. Hezbollah has been attempting to obtain advanced antiaircraft missiles for a long time, since the organization prefer shoulder-mounted missiles, as they allow for rapid launch, decreasing the chances of identifying the launcher.

The IAF aircraft operating daily over southern Lebanon utilize countermeasures out of concern that such missiles and others might be launched to take down their planes. According to experts, the SA-24 is much more precise and lethal than its previous variants.