Russia and Iran are using Ukraine and Israel as “battlefield laboratories” to investigate Western military vulnerabilities, experts told the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Wednesday.
“Together, Russia and Iran are using Ukraine and the Middle East as battlefield laboratories to improve their weapons and develop techniques to overcome U.S. and allied defensive systems,” said Dana Stroul, research director. from the Washington Institute, to lawmakers at a hearing on the matter. “Despotic Duo.”
“Iran is drawing lessons from Russia on combined attack packages, as well as insights into the strengths and weaknesses of Western-origin air and missile defense systems,” Stroul said in a statement. your written statement.
The hearing comes just days after Iran launched an unprecedented airstrike against Israel. The Israeli military said Iran fired approximately 170 drones, 120 ballistic missiles and 30 cruise missiles; almost all were shot down.
According to Stroul and other witnesses, Iran’s attack on Israel was “remarkably similar to the attacks carried out by Russia on Ukraine.”
“Russia leveraged military and political exchanges with Tehran during the Syrian civil war to its benefit,” said Rep. Tom Kean (R-N.J.).
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called Iran’s attempted attack on Israel “the best way to punish the aggressor and a manifestation of the tact and rationality of Iranian leaders.”
According to experts present at Wednesday’s hearing, Russia’s dependence on Iranian weapons to continue its invasion of Ukraine has altered the balance of power in relations between the nations, decreasing Russia’s influence over the regime, with Iran extracting more capabilities in return.
“One of the most recent developments that we must stop is the build-up of Russian and Iranian weapons and ammunition that today will help Russia dominate Ukraine, but tomorrow could help Iran dominate Israel,” said Gabriel Noronha of the Jewish Institute for Security. National of America. .
“Recently, U.S. Central Command leadership expressed concern that Russia may soon supply Iran with Russian SU-35 aircraft in exchange for Iranian drones and weapons,” said Rep. Gabe Amo (D-R.I.).
“Imagine that an attack [against Israel] with advanced fighters it would have looked like that,” Amo added.
Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, warned that the US is allowing its enemies to reinforce each other, emboldened by “the perception of political irresolution and strategic diversion emanating from Washington”.
“The Islamic Republic received gold, money, Russian diplomatic coverage, captured Western weapons and contracts for advanced weapons like the SU-35,” Taleblu said in your written statement.
Lawmakers on the subcommittee called on the House to approve the long-stalled defense spending package for aid in Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific, citing President Biden’s “strong support” announced in a statement Wednesday.
“I will sanction this immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends and will not allow Iran or Russia to succeed,” Biden said.
“The world is on fire and we can’t bury our heads in the sand,” said Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.).
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