Does Hezbollah have access to real time satellite pics of Israel? I know

[zonkers]

that Iran and Russia launched a satellite about a year ago
link -- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4381436.stm

[rman]

1. Does Hezbollah need that in order to do what they do?

For all i know they fire not-so-very-powerful home made missiles in the general direction of population areas in Israel. They're bound to hit something.

[zonkers]

2. I should have rephrased my question to read Lebanon. I was wondering

if they were able to get imaging ono advancing Israeli troops.

[magellan]

4. They probably don't need that

Hezbollah have two cabinet members and a smattering of seats in the -- is it parliament? Anyway, I'm sure their political guys are getting reports from the ground about where the Israeli troops are.

[Cooley Hurd]

6. That's a good question, however Hezbollah scouts all along the border...

...can give them just-as-accurate info on IDF troop movements.

[Solo_in_MD]

7. Which is why the IDF took out much of the communications infrastructure

To stop cell phones and land lines from becoming the equivalent to a military radio network

[larrysh]

3. I think they fire their missiles in groups, like giant shotguns......

bound to hit something when they all land....

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

9. A minor correction.

Hezbollah's rockets are not homemade. Hamas use homemade rockets, but Hezbollah's are military-grade. I think they're a derivative of an old Soviet missile design.

[Cooley Hurd]

5. The Katyusha rockets are unguided...

...so real-time sat imagery wouldn't help them.

On Google Earth, the Haifa peninsula in shown in low-res (possibly because Haifa is also the Israel Sea Corps' main base).

[Solo_in_MD]

8. Actually it would

Rockets can be fairly effective if they have spotters to help bring the fire pattern on to the target. Not as effective as standard artillery, but still quite punishing. True real time satellite could compensate for the lack of spotters is there was adequate communications infrastructure to communicate to the rocket crew how to adjust their fire. Without it, its spray and pray.

The Hezbollah are forced to use a shoot and scoot technique since the IAF is on their launch site within minutes due to back plotting radars and UAVs. There is no time to set up completely and do ranging shots before they fire for effect.