New Report on 'US and UK Espionage' of Israel's Missile Program

Another section of Edward Snowden's revelations regarding 'US and UK espionage on Israel' was published on Sunday, February 11. The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Germany's Spiegel, and the website Intercept simultaneously reported that the US and UK have also 'spied' on Israel's Arrow missile plans. According to Snowden's revelations, the US National Security Agency (NSA) and its British counterpart GCHQ, in a joint operation, monitored the target missile 'Black Sparrow', which was supposed to be intercepted and diverted by Israeli 'Arrow' missiles. Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the 'Black Sparrow' missile was launched from Israeli F-15 fighter jets to test the capabilities of the 'Arrow'. The American company Raytheon partnered with the Israeli company Rafael in its production. The first part of Snowden's revelations about 'US and UK espionage on Israel' was published on Friday, February 9, stating that these two countries had direct access to the Israeli Air Force through an infiltration plan and monitored the exchanged information in the Israeli Air Force. According to these reports, since 1998, the US and UK have been monitoring the Israeli Air Force as part of an infiltration project named 'Anarchist', aimed at tracking major armies. By hacking Israeli systems, they were able to simultaneously see the capabilities and targeting of Israeli fighter jets and drones. According to these reports, from the beginning of this project, whenever an Israeli drone was on a mission for operations or reconnaissance flights in Gaza or elsewhere in the Middle East, the screens of these drones and their targeting were visible at a base in Cyprus. Details of the Israeli Air Force's operations against Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza were also accessible to the US and UK. Monitoring the Israeli Air Force's activities in relation to Iran's nuclear program has been one of the goals of this American-British project in recent years. The reports state that monitoring Israeli air actions began from a base in northern Britain and then focused on a base that Britain has in Cyprus. Israeli media, citing unnamed officials, claimed that 'Israel was not surprised by US spying on itself', although these officials added that 'this action could once again strain relations with the US'. This revelation comes at a time when tensions between the Israeli and US governments over the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers have recently calmed somewhat. However, Yuval Steinitz, Israel's Minister of Energy, stated that this US action is 'concerning', adding, 'We need to reform and strengthen encryption methods in sensitive systems.' Dr. Ronen Bergman, an Israeli intelligence expert, told Yedioth Ahronoth's website on Sunday, February 11, that 'Israel has been aware of America's intelligence capabilities, but the depth of American infiltration into the 'most sacred military systems of Israel has caused astonishment.' This Israeli intelligence expert added, 'It is not unlikely that the Iranians could also infiltrate Israel's air systems.' The reports published based on Snowden's recent revelations also state that the US and UK have been able to decrypt the systems of the armies of Syria, Iran, Egypt, Turkey, and also the operational capabilities of Hezbollah while tracking Middle Eastern armies. In the 'Anarchist' project from the Cyprus base, operations of the armies of China, Argentina, and also three NATO allies of the US and UK, namely France, Italy, and Germany, have been monitored. Edward Snowden, a former contractor for the US National Security Agency, fled to Russia three springs ago and is still hiding in that country. Snowden provided his information and documents to another journalist responsible for the Intercept website.