An intelligence-gathering outlet that has proven accurate in the past has reported today that far from being merely a rebel uprising, the showdown in Tripoli over the last 48 hours is being “spearheaded” by British, French, Jordanian and Qatari Special Operations forces.

Israeli open source intelligence gathering outfit DEBKAfile reports:

“This is the first time Western and Arab ground troops have fought on the same battlefield in any of the Arab revolts of the last nine months and the first time Arab soldiers have taken part in a NATO operation.”

As we reported yesterday, the operation, nicknamed “Mermaid Dawn”, is being directed by US and NATO forces. The rebels have received training and arms from special forces and are being directed by Western intelligence operatives on the ground in Libya.

NATO is now planning a “humanitarian” occupation of Libya with thousands of British and American soldiers, risking the possibility that troops could be sent into yet another quagmire to rival Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Debkafile report continues:

“Our military sources report that the British have deployed SAS commandoes and France, 2REP (Groupe des commando parachutiste), which is similar to the US Navy DELTA unit, as well as DINOP commandos. Fighting too are Jordan’s Royal Special Forces, specialists in urban combat and capturing fortified installations like the Qaddafi compound in Tripoli, and the Qatari Special Forces, which were transferred from Benghazi where they guarded rebel Transitional National Council leaders.”

The report also states that the rebel fighters being directed by these special forces groups are very uncoordinated small groups of tribal fighters.

“NATO is trying to import better-trained fighters by sea from Benghazi and Misrata.” the report states. This information dovetails with intelligence revealed by journalist Webster Tarpley on yesterday’s nationally syndicated Alex Jones show.

DEBKAfile notes that its military sources say many key facilities within Gaddafi’s compound, which is now under seige, are located underground.

The “chambers are interconnected by a network of corridors, some broad enough to accommodate tanks. The network branches out to the sea and locations outside Tripoli.” the report states. Indeed, it is believed that Gadaffi 12th Tank Division is stationed in these vast tunnels.

This indicates that the “victory” scenes playing out across the media at time of writing with rebels clambering over statues within the grounds are somewhat premature.

DEBKAfile’s previous analysis has proven to be on the money. Indeed, back in July the website received intelligence indicating that should Gadaffi continue to resist an agreement to step down before the UN mandated September 2nd deadline, then NATO was prepared to instigate a crushing military blow in which the United States had also agreed to take part.

Steve Watson is the London based writer and editor for Alex Jones’ Infowars.net, and Prisonplanet.com. He has a