Israel Aids Fight Against Islamic State Terrorists

Israeli technology and military intelligence are being used to assist the Pentagon in targeting the Islamic State terror group in Iraq, according to a Western diplomat.

The Israeli military is using its superior intelligence-gathering capabilities and satellite technology to collect information on the activities of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in Iraq and then sharing it with the American government, according to Reuters.

Satellite images and other information compiled by Israel, such as data on Westerners suspected of traveling to the Middle East to join IS, are aiding the US in its campaign against the terrorist organization.

Israeli Intelligence ‘Very Good’

“The Israelis are very good with passenger data and with analyzing social media in Arabic to get a better idea of who these people are,” an unnamed Western diplomat told Reuters.

The American military is currently engaged in an effort to damage the terrorist group through targeted missile strikes. Israeli satellites have better vantage points in the region and the resulting images help the US “fill out its information and get…better battle damage assessments,” the diplomat added.

All data is stripped of any indication of its Israeli source in an effort to make it easier for the US to share it with allied Muslim countries, he claimed.

A spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Ministry declined to comment on the matter.

A Growing Threat

As IS commits increasingly brazen terrorist attacks, and its power and influence spread, there is a growing concern that the radical organization may present a direct threat to Israel’s national security. The Israeli government recently designated IS as a terrorist group, thereby making it illegal to belong to the group, attend its meetings, raise money for it or participate in any of its activities.

US President Barack Obama is set to announce his government’s strategy for fighting IS on Wednesday.

Author: Joanne Hill
Staff Writer, United with Israel