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Syria completes troop encirclement of Lebanon, Rice contacts Hamas DEBKAfile Exclusive Report October 25, 2008, 8:13 PM (GMT+02:00) In a follow-up to the incipient thaw in US relations with Damascus, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has relayed a message to Hamas political leader Khalid Meshaal. DEBKAfile’s Middle East sources also reveal that on Oct. 21, Syria completed its encircling deployment of Lebanon after an unacknowledged nod from the Bush administration. Four Syrian divisions are now massed on Lebanon’s northern and eastern borders and opposite Israel’s northern border positions. (See attached exclusive DEBKA map.) In the exclusive report below, excerpts fromDEBKA-Net-Weekly 367, 368 and 369, reveal how the process started and evolved and are updated by DEBKAfile. To subscribe to DEBKA-Net-Weekly click HERE .  Full article

Mil Intel chief warns Syria still heavily arming Hizballah October 26, 2008, 12:23 PM (GMT+02:00) In his briefing to the cabinet’s Sunday session, the head of AMAN, Israeli military intelligence Brig. Amos Yadlin brought out some harsh security developments. In readiness for another Lebanon war, he warned, Hizballah has acquired rockets ten times more powerful than the hardware leveled against northern Israel in the 2006 Lebanon war. Whereas in 2006, the Lebanese terrorists shot rockets carrying 30 tons of explosives, next time, said Brig. Yadlin, the payloads would pack a 300-ton punch. Hizballah operatives move freely in and out of Syria which keeps on supplying them with large quantities of their weapons. Livni gives up on government bid. Early election likely Feb. 17, 2009 DEBKAfile Special Report October 25, 2008, 11:19 PM (GMT+02:00) Tzipi Livni runs out of time Kadima leader foreign minister Tzipi Livni is due to present herself to president Shimon Peres Sunday afternoon, Oct. 26, to inform him of her failure to win over partners for a viable coalition government. After allowing three weeks for another would-be prime minister to come forward with 61 Knesset member supporters, the Knesset is dissolved and a general election called, most probably for February 17, 2009. The veto ruled by the ultra-religious Shas party’s rabbinical council finally put paid Friday, Oct. 24, to foreign minister Tzipi Livni’s prospects.  More...