that greater action is pending, but not when. And that will be our advantage.”
Azizi ventured a question. “Imam, when
Elham looked at Azizi for a long moment. “That will be revealed when you need to know.”
Esmaili was thinking ahead of the game, trying to anticipate problems and requirements. “A few questions, if I may,” he began. Without awaiting approval he pressed on. “Are we to conduct these deceptions as pinprick attacks to keep the enemy off balance, or on a scale large enough to desensitize them for the greater effort?”
The priest cocked his head as if studying a specimen under glass. “That is an astute question, brother. It shows that you appreciate the nuances of the endeavor.” He glanced briefly at Azizi, who turned red-faced at the implication. “How would you distinguish between the two?”
Esmaili felt himself warming to the subject. It was a welcome relief from his usual relationship with the imam. “Mainly it is a difference of scale. As you say, with some snipers and a few mortars we can keep things unsettled with minimal effort almost indefinitely. But if there is to be a large ground offensive, we will need more men and equipment. Also more supplies.”
Elham nodded. “Just so. For the present Tehran and Damascus have few fighters to spare. I can tell you that those available are either committed elsewhere or are being held in reserve. But this will be a multifaceted campaign, not limited to those who fight conventionally. You both know of the survey crews that have prepared possible rocket sites. There are also clandestine teams — special operations troops— who will use the confusion caused by the larger effort to accomplish their tasks.”
Azizi sought to ingratiate himself again. “Whatever the assignment, we will do it, Imam. When should we begin the attacks, and what are our targets?”
The priest pulled a printed sheet from his robe. “These are your objectives and the schedule. But tomorrow would not be too soon.”
“You’re wrong, Sol. It’s going to be even harder than we expected.”
Colonel Yakov Livni and Brigadier General Solomon Nadel had a peculiar relationship. Their respective duties — covert operations and conventional ground forces and logistics — necessarily overlapped on both sides of the Lebanese border. The irony was lost on neither officer that the colonel dictated his requirements to the general, but their mutual professionalism kept them on track.
Nadel was unaccustomed to colonels telling him that he was wrong, but in the freewheeling IDF such candor was not unknown. “All right, I said it would be difficult to provide support to the militia. If I’m wrong, tell me how it’s going to be even harder.”
Livni plunked his ample bulk into a straight-backed chair and jabbed a finger at the map. “From recent intelligence we know that Hezbollah is getting more direct support from Syria. Yes, the Iranians are the power behind Hezbollah but the geographic fact remains that they can’t do much without Syrian cooperation. That means it’s doubly difficult for us to keep track of their movements, let alone their intentions.” He pushed his glasses up on his forehead. “Without more eyes and ears on the ground, we can only guess at what the Druze are going to be faced with.”
Nadel paced a few steps away, then returned. “Look. That’s what I don’t understand. My God, Yakov, the Druze militias are already there. They
“Stay with me, Solly. Yes,
Nadel threw up his hands. “All right, then. Quit trying to impress me with your high and mighty sources that you can’t reveal. For the moment let’s say that I accept them at face value. Just tell me what I need to know in order to support your Druze friends.”
Livni smiled for a change. “Now we’re getting somewhere. The American training teams are ready to move from Hasbaya to the first two villages. Amasha and El-Arian. There has already been sporadic Hezbollah action in that area. Nothing dramatic, just harassment. A few sniping incidents, some mortars and roadside bombs. But we expect that’s going to increase, either as part of a bigger harassment campaign or as cover for something else.”
“Cover? You mean something covert?”
An exaggerated shrug with raised hands. “It’s too early to tell. But I need your boys to be ready to reinforce either of those places on short notice. If Hezbollah makes an overt effort to seize one or the other, it could signal the start of a larger offensive. In that case, we need to move fast.”
“I agree. But in what strength?”
“General, I’m glad you asked.”
23
“Well, what’ve we heard?”
Michael Derringer was never known as a micromanager but when an operation was under way he liked to keep his thumb on its pulse. The impromptu meeting of the SSI brain trust was evidence of his concern.
As the senior operations officer, Sandy Carmichael had the conn. “Admiral, our teams are deploying to their operating areas. They’ll be in position later today. Frank has half the crew in a place called Amasha and Chris Nissen is taking the others to El-Arian. Both are villages south and east of Hasbaya.”
“Very well. How’s our comm with them?”
“So far, so good. Satellite phones work well, and for the reliability it’s worth two dollars a minute. Conventional phone service is adequate, and we also have e-mail contact but the server in that area seems somewhat erratic.”
“What about Frank’s contact with the IDF across the border? I mean, in case he needs reinforcements immediately.”
Carmichael nodded. “Sir, I was coming to that. Frank confirmed that he has round-the-clock contact with Northern Command. But if our guys were targeted in Beirut, it stands to reason they’ll be in the crosshairs out in the countryside. I’d like to know what we can do to extract them if necessary.”
Derringer turned to the visitor. “Mr. Baram?”
The Israeli diplomat leaned forward, hands clasped on the table. “I am glad that you asked me to this meeting, Admiral. Our Druze liaison officers are, of course, aware of the situation, and best positioned to provide timely assistance. Their counterparts in the IDF also will lend whatever assistance they can, and I understand that air evacuation is the best option.
“However, I agree that it would be helpful to have prior consent of, ah, certain U.S. Government assets in the region. I am making that request both to your State Department and Department of Defense, though it may be some time before I receive a response from either one.”
Derringer squirmed in his chair. “I’d feel better if that had been settled before our teams arrived in Hasbaya but I recognize the urgency our clients feel in getting the training started. Now, I’d like to think that we can rely on the IDF to extract our people on short notice. If there is any doubt about it, we need to know. Today.”
Baram looked into Derringer’s face. “Admiral, at present there is no doubt about our willingness to do so, and currently there’s not much doubt about our ability. I have dealt with the colonel running covert operations in Lebanon, and he is a good man. A very good man. If he says something will be done, it usually gets done.”
The SSI president swiveled his chair side to side. “Very well, then. I’ll accept that at face value.” He turned to Carmichael. “But I’d like to see if we might tap our SecNav or even DoD contacts. It’d be the long way around, but the amphibious group in the eastern Med could get some choppers in there.”
“Yes, sir. I’ve already staffed it. Depending on specifics, it’s about twenty-five to thirty miles from the coast to our op areas. There are terrain features that would be helpful during ingress and egress, but until we know
