http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-07/guest-post-was-israel%E2%80%99s-attack-against-syria-really-attack-against-iran

Guest Post: Was Israel’s Attack Against Syria Really An Attack Against Iran?

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/07/2013 21:02 -0400

Submitted by Charles Kennedy via OilPrice.com,

Over the weekend Israel carried out two air strikes against Syrian positions within 48 hours. The first attack targeted a shipment of missiles thought to have been on their way to Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, and the second was an airstrike against a military research centre on the outskirts of the capital Damascus.

Syria has now threatened retaliation, in what could lead to a widespread regional conflict. The Deputy Foreign Minister Fayssal Mekdad told CNN that the airstrikes were considered an act of war and that the Syrian government would retaliate in their own time.

Israel has threatened to carry out strategic strikes against Syrian positions, as the two year old civil war has increased the chance that Hezbollah, or other dangerous militant groups, obtain new weapons and then use them against Israel.

Israel believes that since 2006 Hezbollah has increased its weapons stocks and obtained far more sophisticated missiles which offer a greater range. Israel is deeply worried that Hezbollah will launch attacks, and has deployed two Iron Dome missile defence systems in the north.

Iran is a strong supporter of Assad’s regime in Syria, and is deeply involved in the efforts to repel the rebel forces. Israel has long voiced its desires to attack Iran in order to force them to end their nuclear program before they achieve the capability to create nuclear weapons. This attack against Syria could be viewed as an indirect attack on Iran.

Jonathan Spyer, a political scientist at the Interdisciplinary Centre in Herzliya, Israel, suggested that the Israelis only attacked because Assad and his allies are too busy with the Syrian civil war to carry out any reprisal.

“Israel is taking a calculated risk that Assad, Iran and Hezbollah are right now fighting a war against the Syrian rebels and probably don’t want to open up a second front against a far more formidable enemy,” he said.

http://www.debka.com/article/22957/US-to-arm-Syrian-rebels-Putin%E2%80%99s-rebuke-Chinese-%E2%80%9Cpeace-plan%E2%80%9D-mar-Netanyahu%E2%80%99s-Chinese-trip-

Negative diplomatic ricochets are pursuing Israel in the aftermath of its air force attacks on Syria. In the first place, they are seen to have had no effect on Hizballah’s successful military intervention on the side of the Assad regime or the Syrian war at large. In the second, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, while in Shanghai, was given a sharp dressing-down by President Vladimir Putin Monday, May 6, a warning that Russia would not tolerate further Israeli attacks on Damascus and would respond.
Putin did not say how, but he did announce he had ordered the acceleration of highly advanced Russian weapons supplies to Syria.
DEBKAfile’s military sources disclose that the Russian leader was referring to S-300 anti-air systems and the nuclear-capable 9K720 Iskander (NATO named SS-26 Stone) surface missiles, which are precise enough to hit a target within a 5-7 meter radius at a distance of 280 kilometers.
In his phone call to Netanyahu, the Russian leader made no bones about his determination not to permit the US, Israel or any other regional force (e.g. Turkey and Qatar) overthrow President Bashar Assad. He advised the prime minister to make sure to keep this in mind.
Our sources add: Since Syrian air defense teams have already trained in Russia on the handling of the S-300 interceptor batteries, they can go into service as soon as they are landed by one of Russia’s daily airlifts to Syria. Russian air defense officials will supervise their deployment and prepare them for operation.
Moscow is retaliating not just for Israel’s air operations against Syria but in anticipation of the Obama administration’s impending decision to send the first US arms shipments to the Syrian rebels.

Intelligence agencies in Moscow and the Middle East take it for granted that by the time Washington goes public on this decision, some of the Syrian rebel factions will already be armed with American weapons.

That the measure was in the works was signified by the introduction Monday by Bob Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, of legislation allowing the US to provide arms and military training to the Syrian rebels,

US military instructors have been working with Syrian rebels at training camps in Jordan and Turkey for some months. So putting the arms in their hands only awaited a decision in Washington.

Putin’s message to Netanyahu was intended to reach a wider audience than Jerusalem, such as Barack Obama in Washington and President Xi Jinping in Beijing ahead of Netanyahu’s talks there Tuesday.
Therefore, when US Secretary of State John Kerry landed in Moscow that day, in an attempt “bridge the divide” between their governments on the Syria conflict, he was preceded by a barrage of Russian condemnation of the Israeli air strikes in Damascus “as a threat to regional stability,” a stiff warning from the Russian foreign ministry to the “West” to stop “politicizing the issue of chemical weapons in Syria,” and Moscow’s “concern that world public opinion was being prepared for possible foreign military intervention.”

In other words, the Russian leader rejected in advance and with both hands any attempt by the US to use the Israeli air strikes as leverage for a deal with Moscow for ending the Syrian war. US weapons supplies to the rebels would furthermore be matched by stepped-up arms supplies to the Assad regime, which Putin is totally committed to preserving.
Kerry planned back-to-back meetings Tuesday with Russian officials focusing mainly on Syria but also covering the Russian angle on the Boston bombings, and hoped-for cooperation on the Iranian and North Korean nuclear issues.
The Chinese government’s cold shoulder to Israel was exhibited less directly that Moscow’s but no less firmly. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas was invited to visit Beijing and meet President Xi two days before the prime arrived in the Chinese capital Tuesday to begin the official part of his visit. The Chinese president unveiled his peace plan before meeting the Israeli prime minister.

This plan emphasizes, as the key to a settlement, the Palestinian right to a state on the basis of 1967 borders with east Jerusalem as its capital. It also adopts Abbas’s preconditions for talks, including a stop to settlement activities, an end of the Gaza blockade and “proper handling” of the Palestinian prisoners issue.
Clearly, Prime Minister Netanyahu would have been wiser to postpone his Chinese visit instead of taking off while Israeli air force blasts will still reverberating in Damascus. By staying at home, he would have displayed a firmer and steadier hand at the helm.
And after taking off, he would have done well not to linger for two days in Shanghai first. This gave the Russian leader the chance to catch him wrong-footed and administer a strong, publicized rebuke, so bearing down on the agenda of Netanyahu’s forthcoming talks with Chinese leaders.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-07/syria-traffic-goes-dark-country-disappears-internet

Syria Traffic Goes "Dark" As Country Disappears From Internet

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/07/2013 17:05 -0400

Twitter

While there have been no new military attacks on Syria since Sunday morning, something more peculiar happened in the past few hours, when according to Akamai and various other Internet traffic trackers, Syria has literally gone "dark", or, as Umbrella Security Labs describes it, as if "Syria has largely disappeared from the Internet."

Some more from Umbrella's blog:

At around 18:45 UTC OpenDNS resolvers saw a significant drop in traffic from Syria. On closer inspection it seems Syria has largely disappeared from the Internet.

The graph below shows DNS traffic from and to Syria. Although Twitter remains relatively silent, the drop in both inbound and outbound traffic from Syria is clearly visible. The small amount of outbound traffic depicted by the chart indicates our DNS servers trying to reach DNS servers in Syria.

Currently both TLD servers for Syria, ns1.tld.sy and ns2.tld.sy are unreachable. The remaining two nameservers sy.cctld.authdns.ripe.net. and pch.anycast.tld.sy. are reachable since they are not within Syria.

The Umbrella Security Labs also reported on an Internet blackout in Syria November of 2012, where we shared details of the top 10 most failed domains during the outage.

Update: 1:28 p.m. PDT

There have been numerous incidents where access to and from the Internet in Syria was shut down. Shutting down Internet access to and from Syria is achieved by withdrawing the BGP routes from Syrian prefixes. The graph below shows the sudden drop in visibility for Syrian network prefixes.

How it happened:

Routing on the Internet relies on the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). BGP distributes routing information and makes sure all routers on the Internet know how to get to a certain IP address. When an IP range becomes unreachable it will be withdrawn from BGP, this informs routers that the IP range is no longer reachable.

For example, one of the name servers for the DNS zone .SY is ns1.tld.sy with IP address 82.137.200.85.

Normally our routers would expect a BGP route for 82.137.192.0/18

Currently that route has disappeared and we no longer have a way to reach the Nameservers for .SY that reside in Syria

And in parallel news, we are hearing unconfirmed reports that mobile connections have been cut off as well.

Did Assad simply forget to pay his country's DNS (and cell) bill, or is this a preamble to putting Syria in the "dark" in advance of possible future military escalations? We will provide updates as we see them.

h/t @911buff and @l0gg0l

http://www.moonofalabama.org/2013/05/the-angry-arabs-will-no-longer-fight-syria.html

The Angry Arabs Will No Longer Fight Against Syria

It took As'ad AbuKhalil, the Angry Arab, two years to come to his senses and to acknowledge his errors:

This was never a “revolution”. I among other leftists in Lebanon signed a petition early on after the events in Deraa in which we denounced the regime and mocked and dismissed its narrative of armed groups roaming the country and shooting at people. I now figure that I was dead wrong: I do believe that armed groups were pre-prepared and armed to strike when orders (from Israel and GCC countries) arrive. They had a mission and it had nothing to do with the cause of liberation of Syria from a tyrannical regime.

It was quite obvious that the insurgency in Syria was preplanned and managed from professional outside forces. Why did it take so long to recognize that?It seems that the Israeli air attacks yesterday were many and severe. They hit several Syrian army installations and units and are obvious outright acts of a war of aggression. The attacks Thursday or Friday on alleged "weapon transports to Hizbullah" were only a diversion to set a propaganda picture for today's air campaign. The U.S. will at least have known of this plan. It is likely that it helped to develop the target list.
A response will come, either through Lebanon or at sea, but not immediately. Five days ago Israel called up reservists for a surprise live fire training maneuver in the north. This supposedly to hold of an immediate retaliation for the long planned attack. But it can not keep reservist in the field for long. The economic impact is too big.
This air attack happened after the Syrian army's offense against the foreign sponsored insurgents showed some serious progress. Israel and the U.S. want to prolong the fighting. To achieve that they hit the Syrian army to "level the playing field". As even As'ad AbuKhalil finally acknowledges their aim is to destroy Syria. Not Bashar Assad, not the government but Syria the country. Their aim has not yet been achieved.
The Israeli attack and its now obvious cooperation with the so called Free Syrian Army will have a significant negative impact on the insurgency. In the early phase many Jihadist from other countries came to Syria because they believed in the propagandized cause of overthrowing an, in their view, un-islamic regime. That early flood has already changed to a trickle. It will now run dry. Likewise many Syrian patriots who had joined the insurgency will now change their mind. Defections from the army to the insurgency had already stopped. We will now see defectors from the insurgents who will be willing to (re-)join the army. They will have valuable intelligence.
In my estimate, gained from hundreds of videos and reports, the total number of insurgents has never been above 30,000. Early on casualties were compensated for by new recruitment. But the recent gains of the Syrian army already had me guessing that the number of insurgents was in decline. Either through defections, people being just tired of it and going home or due to weapon impacts. This process will now accelerate.
This hemorrhage of personal is something neither the U.S. nor Israel can compensate for without putting boots on the ground. Something neither wants to do. A dwindling number of insurgents and the drying up of their recruitment pools, while the Syrian army can still replenish its ranks (if needed from outside the country) makes it certain that the insurgency will lose. The larger formations that currently hold territory will diminish in strength and melt away into a underground terror campaign that will be more of a nuisance than a real national danger. The Angry Arabs now more and more understand what this war is really about. They will no longer fight against Syria. Israel's attack accelerated that process.

Posted by b on May 5, 2013 at 12:19 PM | Permalink

http://www.infowars.com/source-israeli-airstrike-on-syria-coordinated-with-al-qaeda-militants/

Source: Israeli Airstrike on Syria Coordinated With Al-Qaeda Militants

Jihadists doing the dirty work of the very powers they claim to oppose

Paul Joseph Watson
Infowars.com
May 6, 2013

Israel’s airstrike on Syria was timed to precede an Al-Qaeda-led rebel offensive against President Bashar Al-Assad’s forces according to Egyptian and Jordanian intelligence sources, underscoring once again how jihadists are doing the dirty work of the very powers they claim to oppose.

Image: YouTube

“Israel’s air strike in Syria today was coordinated with Turkey, which in turn coordinated rebel attacks throughout Syria timed to coincide with the Israeli strike,” sources told WABC host and New York Times bestselling author Aaron Klein.

Although the Syrian rebels were not given advance knowledge of the Israeli attack, they were specifically told when to launch new offensives in order to take advantage of the airstrike, which according to reports killed at least 100 Syrian Army troops.

“Almost the moment the Israel Air Force departed was the moment the rebel advance began,” the Egyptian intelligence source told Klein.

In the weeks preceding the airstrike, the Syrian Army had scored notable victories against FSA rebels, taking back central areas of Homs just days before the attack. But the Israeli offensive greased the skids for militants to use, “access roads to advance toward Damascus,” where they launched, “heavy clashes with Syrian military forces throughout the country,” including in “northeast Rankous in Damascus; Daraya city in the Damascus countryside; and also in the villages of Homs, al-Alqamieh, Tunaibeh and Menneg in the Aleppo countryside.”

As we highlighted yesterday, Israel and the United States routinely rely on Al-Qaeda to destabilize their enemies in the region.

Not only has Israel supported Al-Qaeda-led rebels in Syria, even setting up field hospitals for injured fighters, but back in 2002 Israel was caught actually creating an Al-Qaeda group in order to justify attacks on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The United States and Israel have also armed and funded Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups in Iran to carry out bombings and assassinations for years.

NATO powers also openly armed and funded the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Libyan Islamic FIghting Group to topple Colonel Gaddafi in 2011.

It was also recently revealed that the State Department hired Al-Qaeda-linked militants to “defend” the diplomatic mission in Benghazi that was later attacked.

Given this recent history, our characterization of Barack Obama as “the global head of Al-Qaeda” is looking more and more accurate.

It has also emerged that the same terrorists backed by the US and Israel were also most likely responsible for a recent chemical weapons attack, the so-called “red line” cited by the Obama administration that would justify military intervention (but only if it can be blamed on Assad’s forces).

“U.N. human rights investigators have gathered testimony from casualties of Syria’s civil war and medical staff indicating that rebel forces have used the nerve agent sarin, one of the lead investigators said on Sunday,” reports Reuters.

“Our investigators have been in neighboring countries interviewing victims, doctors and field hospitals and, according to their report of last week which I have seen, there are strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof of the use of sarin gas, from the way the victims were treated,” Del Ponte said in an interview with Swiss-Italian television.

Infowars has documented several examples where US-backed rebels have been caught on tape testing chemical weapons or discussing their delivery, but such reports have been ignored by the corporate media, who instead instantly seize on any suggestion of Assad’s forces doing the same with zero evidence and little explanation as to why the Syrian Army would launch limited chemical weapons attacks when it would do nothing to advance them militarily and would only welcome global condemnation and increase the chances of outside military intervention.

The coordination of Al-Qaeda attacks against Syrian Army forces immediately after the Israeli airstrike once again exemplifies how the conflict in Syria is not a grass roots uprising, as the NATO-aligned media has framed it, but a hegemonic assault by the US and Israel, who are once again working with Al-Qaeda terrorists to dismantle a sovereign nation.

and.....

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-06/russia-china-urge-respect-syrian-sovereignty-un-finds-only-syrian-rebels-used-chemic

Russia, China Urge Respect Of Syrian Sovereignty As UN Finds Only Syrian Rebels Used Chemical Weapons

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/06/2013 08:21 -0400

China

Israel

Testimony

Following this weekend's explosive escalation in Syria, the big unknown was how Russia and China would respond: the two countries have long been known to be opposed to the US-Israel axis' involvement and intervention in Syria, although they have so far kept their involvement to a minimum. Today we get the answer: "Russia said on Monday it was concerned the chances of foreign military intervention in Syria were growing following reports of Israeli air strikes around Damascus which were a source of "particular alarm". "We are seriously concerned by the signs of preparation of global public opinion for possible armed intervention in the long-running internal conflict in Syria," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement. He suggested those concerns stemmed in part from media reports about the alleged use of chemical weapons in the conflict that has killed more than 70,000 people in two years.

He added:

"The further escalation of armed confrontation sharply increases the risk of creating new areas of tension, in addition to Syria, in Lebanon, and the destabilization of the so far relatively calm atmosphere on the Lebanese-Israeli border."

"The internationalization of the extremely dangerous and destructive internal conflict in Syria must not be permitted," he said, calling for "decisive efforts aimed at shifting the events in Syria into a peaceful channel."

China was likewise concerned, and came out "urging restraint", adding that Syria's sovereignty "should be respected" although at no point was Israel called out by name:

"We oppose the use of military force and believe any country's sovereignty should be respected," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular briefing.

"China also calls on all relevant parties to begin from the basis of protecting regional peace and stability, maintain restraint and avoid taking any actions that would escalate tensions and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability," Hua said.

Hua, who did not mention Israel by name, was speaking as Netanyahu began a five-day trip to China.

His trip coincides with a visit by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as China tries to shore up its role in a region where its diplomatic influence is limited.

China, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, has traditionally had a low profile in Middle Eastern diplomacy, but it is keen to assert a role as an important participant in international politics.

Hua, asked if China would urge Netanyahu to stop air strikes, said the Israeli leader had yet to meet Chinese leaders. Netanyahu is due to meet Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday.

Finally, and confirming this whole development is nothing but one big false-flag facade, earlier we got reports that the UN has heard testimony that Syrian rebels may have used sarin gas, Carla Del Ponte, a UN investigator, said in an interview, Swiss television station RSI’s website says. There is “strong and concrete” suspicion, though not yet any “incontestable” proof according to Del Ponte, and the punchline is that according to "testimony so far suggests only rebels used sarin."

From the Independent:

Carla Del Ponte, a member of the UN independent commission of inquiry on Syria, said that testimony gathered from casualties and medical staff indicated that the nerve agent sarin gas was used by rebel fighters.

"Our investigators have been in neighbouring countries interviewing victims, doctors and field hospitals and, according to their report of last week which I have seen, there are strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof of the use of sarin gas, from the way the victims were treated," Ms Del Ponte said in an interview with Swiss-Italian television, broadcast on Sunday.

"This was used on the part of the opposition, the rebels, not by the government authorities," she added, speaking in Italian.

Ms Del Ponte added that the inquiry has yet to see any direct evidence suggesting that government forces have used chemical weapons, but said further investigation was required before this possibility could be ruled out.

The new claims come one week after the United States said it had "varying degrees of confidence" that sarin had been used by Syria's government on its people.

More warmongering lies by the US government and its Nobel peace prize-winning leader: how inconceivably unpossible...

Does this mean that last week's US witch Syrian hunts, "red lines", and certain evidence that Syria used chemical weapons was really just referring to the US, and Al-Qaeda, supported Syrian rebels? Or was the emergence of this factoid not part of the great propaganda spin?

http://www.infowars.com/in-wake-of-us-israeli-attack-on-syria-un-reveals-terrorists-not-government-used-sarin-gas/

In Wake of US-Israeli Attack on Syria, UN Reveals Terrorists Not Government Used Sarin Gas

Tony Cartalucci
Infowars.com
May 6, 2013

The reasoning behind recent US-Israeli attacks on Syria has been undermined further as the UN reveals Western-backed terrorists, not the Syrian government, deployed sarin gas during the 2 year conflict. Reuters reported in their article, “U.N. has testimony that Syrian rebels used sarin gas: investigator,” that:

U.N. human rights investigators have gathered testimony from casualties of Syria’s civil war and medical staff indicating that rebel forces have used the nerve agent sarin, one of the lead investigators said on Sunday.

The United Nations independent commission of inquiry on Syria has not yet seen evidence of government forces having used chemical weapons, which are banned under international law, said commission member Carla Del Ponte.

“Our investigators have been in neighboring countries interviewing victims, doctors and field hospitals and, according to their report of last week which I have seen, there are strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof of the use of sarin gas, from the way the victims were treated,” Del Ponte said in an interview with Swiss-Italian television.

Why the Small Amounts of Sarin Cited by Washington, Riyadh, and Tel Aviv are a Set Up

The small amounts of sarin gas reportedly used would defy any tactical or strategic sense had they been deployed by the Syrian government to tip the balance in the destructive 2-year conflict. According to the US military’s own assessments of chemical weapon use during the 1980′s Iran-Iraq War, only under ideal conditions and with massive amounts of chemical agents can tactical and strategic outcomes be achieved – and that conventional weapons were still, by far, superior to chemical weapons of any kind.

A document produced by the US Marine Corps, titled, “Lessons Learned: The Iran-Iraq War” under “Appendix B: Chemical Weapons,” provides a comprehensive look at the all-out chemical warfare that took place during the devastating 8 year Iranian-Iraqi conflict. Several engagements are studied in detail, revealing large amounts of chemical agents deployed mainly to create areas of denial, not mass casualties.

The effectiveness and lethality of chemical weapons is summarized in the document as follows (emphasis added):

Chemical weapons require quite particular weather and geographic conditions for optimum effectiveness. Given the relative nonpersistence of all agents employed during this war, including mustard, there was only a brief window of employment opportunity both daily and seasonally, when the agents could be used. Even though the Iraqis employed mustard agent in the rainy season and also in the marshes, its effectiveness was significantly reduced under those conditions. As the Iraqis learned to their chagrin, mustard is not a good agent to employ in the mountains, unless you own the high ground and your enemy is in the valleys.

We are uncertain as to the relative effectiveness of nerve agents since those which were employed are by nature much less persistent than mustard. In order to gain killing concentrations of these agents, predawn attacks are best, conducted in areas where the morning breezes are likely to blow away from friendly positions.

Chemical weapons have a low kill ratio. Just as in WWl, during which the ratio of deaths to injured from chemicals was 2-3 percent, that figure appears to be borne out again in this war although reliable data on casualties are very difficult to obtain. We deem it remarkable that the death rate should hold at such a low level even with the introduction of nerve agents. If those rates are correct, as they well may be, this further reinforces the position that we must not think of chemical weapons as “a poor man’s nuclear weapon.” While such weapons have great psychological potential, they are not killers or destroyers on a scale with nuclear or biological weapons.

Clearly, the minute amounts of sarin the West has accused the Syrian government of using, makes no tactical, political, or strategic sense. However, these small amounts of sarin gas, now suspected to be the work of Western-backed terrorists, would have been perfect for establishing a pretext for Western military intervention, and in fact, have been in part cited by the US and Israel in their latest, unprovoked aerial assault on Damascus.

The terrorists operating in Syria possess the means and motivation to carry out such an operation, as do their Western sponsors.

Where Did Western-backed Terrorists Obtain Sarin?

A number of methods could have lent sarin gas to terrorists operating in Syria – from Turkey, Israel, and the US simply handing select units the chemical agent in a clandestine operation, to Libyan terrorists confirmed to have been flooding into Syria for the past 2 years, bringing looted chemical stockpiles with them after NATO’s disastrous invasion in 2011 left them in the hands of a sectarian extremist regime.

….

Indeed, Libya’s arsenal had fallen into the hands of sectarian extremists with NATO assistance in 2011 in the culmination of efforts to overthrow the North African nation . Since then, Libya’s militants led by commanders ofAl Qaeda’s Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) have armed sectarian extremists across the Arab World, fromas far West as Mali, to as far East as Syria.

Libyan LIFG terrorists are confirmed to be flooding into Syria from Libya. In November 2011, the Telegraph in their article, “Leading Libyan Islamist met Free Syrian Army opposition group,” would report:

Abdulhakim Belhadj, head of the Tripoli Military Council and the former leader of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, “met with Free Syrian Army leaders in Istanbul and on the border with Turkey,” said a military official working with Mr Belhadj. “Mustafa Abdul Jalil (the interim Libyan president) sent him there.”

Another Telegraph article, “Libya’s new rulers offer weapons to Syrian rebels,” would admit

Syrian rebels held secret talks with Libya’s new authorities on Friday, aiming to secure weapons and money for their insurgency against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, The Daily Telegraph has learned.

At the meeting, which was held in Istanbul and included Turkish officials, the Syrians requested “assistance” from the Libyan representatives and were offered arms, and potentially volunteers.

“There is something being planned to send weapons and even Libyan fighters to Syria,” said a Libyan source, speaking on condition of anonymity. “There is a military intervention on the way. Within a few weeks you will see.”

Later that month, some 600 Libyan terrorists would be reported to have entered Syria to begin combat operations and have been flooding into the country ever since.

….

In Time’s article, “Libya’s Fighters Export Their Revolution to Syria,” it is reported:

Some Syrians are more frank about the assistance the Libyans are providing. “They have heavier weapons than we do,” notes Firas Tamim, who has traveled in rebel-controlled areas to keep tabs on foreign fighters. “They brought these weapons to Syria, and they are being used on the front lines.” Among the arms Tamim has seen are Russian-made surface-to-air missiles, known as the SAM 7.

Libyan fighters largely brush off questions about weapon transfers, but in December they claimed they were doing just that. “We are in the process of collecting arms in Libya,” a Libyan fighter in Syria told the French daily Le Figaro. “Once this is done, we will have to find a way to bring them here.”

Clearly NATO intervention in Libya has left a vast, devastating arsenal in the hands of sectarian extremists, led by US State Department, United Nations, and the UK Home Office (page 5, .pdf)-listed terrorist organization LIFG that is now exporting these weapons and militants to NATO’s other front in Syria. It is confirmed that both Libyan terrorists and weapons are crossing the Turkish-Syrian border, with NATO assistance, and it is now clear that heavy weapons, including anti-aircraft weapons have crossed the border too.

The Guardian reported in their November 2011 article, “Libyan chemical weapons stockpiles intact, say inspectors,” that:

Libya’s stockpiles of mustard gas and chemicals used to make weapons are intact and were not stolen during the uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi, weapons inspectors have said.

But also reported that:

The abandonment or disappearance of some Gaddafi-era weapons has prompted concerns that such firepower could erode regional security if it falls into the hands of Islamist militants or rebels active in north Africa. Some fear they could be used by Gaddafi loyalists to spread instability in Libya.

Last month Human Rights Watch urged Libya’s ruling national transitional council to take action over large numbers of heavy weapons, including surface-to-air missiles, it said were lying unguarded more than two months after Gaddafi was overthrown.

On Wednesday the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, said the UN would send experts to Libya to help ensure nuclear material and chemical weapons did not fall into the wrong hands.

And while inspectors claim that Libya’s chemical weapons are in the “government’s” hands and not “extremists’,” it is clear by the Libyan government’s own admission, that they themselves are involved in sending fighters and weapons into Syria to support NATO and Al Qaeda’s joint operation there.

Furthermore, it is confirmed that the US had been providing select terrorist units training in the handling of chemical weapons. CNN had reported in December of 2012, in a report titled, “Sources: U.S. helping underwrite Syrian rebel training on securing chemical weapons,” that:

The United States and some European allies are using defense contractors to train Syrian rebels on how to secure chemical weapons stockpiles in Syria, a senior U.S. official and several senior diplomats told CNN Sunday.

The training, which is taking place in Jordan and Turkey, involves how to monitor and secure stockpiles and handle weapons sites and materials, according to the sources. Some of the contractors are on the ground in Syria working with the rebels to monitor some of the sites, according to one of the officials.

NATO not only ensured that chemical weapons in Libya remained in the hands of a proxy regime now openly arming, aiding, and sending fighters to assist terrorists in Syria, but also appears to have ensured these terrorists possessed the know-how on handling and using these weapons.

Israel vs. Hezbollah – Lie of Last Resort

It appears that once again, those truly responsible for the most egregious atrocities and the crossing of “red lines,” are the very Western interests drawing these lines in the first place.

The decision to shift attention away from the chemical weapons “red line,” and toward Israel and Hezbollah is a desperate ploy to extend the faltering viability of the West’s current operations in Syria.

While Israel, with the help of the Western media, attempts to portray itself as reluctantly entering a war it has so far avoided, it has been documented since as early as 2007 that Israel, along with the US and Saudi Arabia were openly conspiring to overthrow the Syrian government via armed and funded Al Qaeda terrorists and an unprecedented sectarian bloodbath.

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh in his 2007 New Yorker article, “The Redirection,” stated (emphasis added):

“To undermine Iran, which is predominantly Shiite, the Bush Administration has decided, in effect, to reconfigure its priorities in the Middle East. In Lebanon, the Administration has coöperated with Saudi Arabia’s government, which is Sunni, in clandestine operations that are intended to weaken Hezbollah, the Shiite organization that is backed by Iran. The U.S. has also taken part in clandestine operations aimed at Iran and its ally Syria. A by-product of these activities has been the bolstering of Sunni extremist groups that espouse a militant vision of Islam and are hostile to America and sympathetic to Al Qaeda.”

Of Israel and Saudi Arabia’s partnership it specifically stated:

“The policy shift has brought Saudi Arabia and Israel into a new strategic embrace, largely because both countries see Iran as an existential threat. They have been involved in direct talks, and the Saudis, who believe that greater stability in Israel and Palestine will give Iran less leverage in the region, have become more involved in Arab-Israeli negotiations.”

Additionally, Saudi Arabian officials mentioned the careful balancing act their nation must play in order to conceal its role in supporting US-Israeli ambitions across the region. It was stated even then, that using Israel to publicly carry out attacks on Iran would be preferable to the US, which would ultimately implicate the Saudis. It was stated:

“The Saudi said that, in his country’s view, it was taking a political risk by joining the U.S. in challenging Iran: Bandar is already seen in the Arab world as being too close to the Bush Administration. “We have two nightmares,” the former diplomat told me. “For Iran to acquire the bomb and for the United States to attack Iran. I’d rather the Israelis bomb the Iranians, so we can blame them. If America does it, we will be blamed.””

This ploy was further developed in 2009 by the Fortune 500-funded (page 19) Brookings Institution in their document, “Which Path to Persia?” In regards to Iran, and now clearly being utilized against Syria, the gambit was described as follows (emphasis added):

“…it would be far more preferable if the United States could cite an Iranian provocation as justification for the airstrikes before launching them. Clearly, the more outrageous, the more deadly, and the more unprovoked the Iranian action, the better off the United States would be. Of course, it would be very difficult for the United States to goad Iran into such a provocation without the rest of the world recognizing this game, which would then undermine it. (One method that would have some possibility of success would be to ratchet up covert regime change efforts in the hope that Tehran would retaliate overtly, or even semi-overtly, which could then be portrayed as an unprovoked act of Iranian aggression.) ” -page 84-85, Which Path to Perisa?, Brookings Institution.

And:

“Israel appears to have done extensive planning and practice for such a strike already, and its aircraft are probably already based as close to Iran as possible. as such, Israel might be able to launch the strike in a matter of weeks or even days, depending on what weather and intelligence conditions it felt it needed. Moreover, since Israel would have much less of a need (or even interest) in securing regional support for the operation, Jerusalem probably would feel less motivated to wait for an Iranian provocation before attacking. In short, Israel could move very fast to implement this option if both Israeli and American leaders wanted it to happen.

However, as noted in the previous chapter, the airstrikes themselves are really just the start of this policy. Again, the Iranians would doubtless rebuild their nuclear sites. They would probably retaliate against Israel, and they might retaliate against the United States, too (which might create a pretext for American airstrikes or even an invasion).” -page 91, Which Path to Perisa?, Brookings Institution.

It is unlikely the West possesses the political, economic, or even tactical ability to pursue a greater regional war against Syria and Iran. The aim of using Israel against Syria is to alleviate pressure on Western-backed terrorists, create tension and opposition within the Syrian government and military, and perhaps even crack “fortress Damascus” ahead of one final push by whatever remains of the so-called “opposition.”

Brookings, in another report titled, “Assessing Options for Regime Change,” stated specifically that:

“In addition, Israel’s intelligence services have a strong knowledge of Syria, as well as assets within the Syrian regime that could be used to subvert the regime’s power base and press for Asad’s removal. Israel could posture forces on or near the Golan Heights and, in so doing, might divert regime forces from suppressing the opposition. This posture may conjure fears in the Asad regime of a multi-front war, particularly if Turkey is willing to do the same on its border and if the Syrian opposition is being fed a steady diet of arms and training. Such a mobilization could perhaps persuade Syria’s military leadership to oust Asad in order to preserve itself. Advocates argue this additional pressure could tip the balance against Asad inside Syria, if other forces were aligned properly.” -page 6, Assessing Options for Regime Change, Brookings Institution.

Clearly, Israel has been involved in Western designs against Syria from the beginning. Its role has been intentionally kept subtle until now, specifically to exercise options of last resort. It is now up to Syria and its allies to ensure they both survive increasingly provocative assaults by the West, while both winning the political battle abroad and sweeping away the remnants of the West’s terrorist proxies at home.

http://www.debka.com/article/22955/IDF-on-war-alert-Iran-Syrian-Hizballah-war-of-attrition-threatened-US-set-to-act-on-Syria

Israel’s two air force strikes on Syria in three days – the second targeting the emblems of Assad rule overlooking Damascus from Mt. Qassioun – appear to be part of a tactical plan put together by the US Israel, and two Sunni powers, Turkey and Qatar, to break up the Tehran-Damascus-Beirut radical bloc and eventually force Iran to give up its nuclear bomb aspirations.
This is how it will be interpreted by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Bashar Assad and Hassan Nasrallah as they prepare their responses for the Israeli attacks.

Without officially confirming those strikes ever took place, Israel insisted that its air force and rockets singled out the advanced Iranian weapons waiting in Syria for transfer to Hizballah - and Hizballah itself. This message was designed for a purpose: It was meant to support Washington’s argument to Moscow that Israel had not aimed its bombs and rockets against Assad and his army – only the Iranian and Hizballah military presence in Syria.
But it didn’t quite work that way, because no one in Damascus slept a wink early Sunday, May 5, as Israel rocket blasts shook the city in what was described as a 4 magnitude earthquake and inflicted heavy casualties – not on the Hizballah brigades fighting in Syria, but Syrian elite units stationed around Mt. Qassioun.

The columns of fire over Damascus flashing across world screens caused the Assad regime and army serious loss of face.

Syrian officials could do no less then broadcast dire threats of war, but may be poised to do more.
Monday, May 6, the Syrian ruler spelled out his next plan of action in a message posted to Moscow: A third Israeli strike would incur an instantaneous Syrian response, he warned. Damascus would let Palestinian organizations off the leash to mount attacks against Israel from the Syrian Golan.

What this presages, according to our military sources, is the launching of a cross-border war of attrition mounted from Syria and Lebanon by Syrian and Hizballah soldiers posing as Palestinian fighters.
That is if Israel continues its assaults on Syria.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Monday that Israel’s “acts of aggression against Syria will not go unanswered and Tel Aviv will receive a crushing response.”
Washington is meanwhile expected to follow up on the Israeli operation in Syria by the end of May, early June, with operations ranging from US arms supplies to the Syrian rebels to demolishing Syria’s air force facilities and missile sites by US air strikes from Turkey, Europe and Israel. Barak Obama used this tactic to overthrow Muammar Qaddafi in Libya two years ago.
The Obama administration made a point of getting these options into print in Monday’s media after saying in answer to a question about the Israeli air strikes: “Israel justifiably has to guard against advance weapons reaching Hizballah.”
DEBKAfile’s military sources: Since the Syrian rebels are being systematically ground down and falling apart under the crushing weight of the Syrian army backed by Iranian and Hizballah troops and Moscow, feeding the rebels more weapons may no longer avail. So this would be the less probable of the two options.
And meanwhile, Israel’s military operation has altered the military equation for Syria. And so President Barack Obama will again try to proposition Vladimir Putin for a joint effort to end the Syrian war. He would not be averse even to Russian forces landing in Syria to enforce the termination of hostilities.
The US president got nowhere with his past bids to break up the Iranian-Syrian-Hizballah front - mainly because he was outmaneuvered by Russia.
On April 27, before Israel embarked on action against Syria, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov forged a new Russian alliance with Hizballah in Beirut. This was Putin’s answer to Obama’s direct appeal for a partnership in the effort to terminate the Syrian conflict.
Obama’s rejoinder was the green light he gave Israel to go for Iranian and Hizballah targets in Syria.

The claim by a “senior US intelligence official” that Israel did not apprise Washington before embarking on its Syrian operation does not hold water. The Netanyahu government might have embarked on a “justifiable” operation against advanced Iranian arms for Hizballah on its own, but would not have stuck its neck out to strike Syria’s elite troops on Mt. Qassioun without first clearing it with the Obama administration.
But the new direction now iddicated may derail Washington’s plan for a superpower deal to bring the horrendous Syrian crisis to a close. The local players, Khamenei, Assad and Nasrallah, are getting ready to grab the wheel and push the US and Israel off the driving seat.

Assad warned Moscow Monday of his plan for a war of attrition against Israel, using Palestinian fighters as cutouts, while Iran, Syria and Hizballah turned their missile batteries around to face Israel.

Having taken the calculated risk that Syria would be too busy with its own war to embark on a major reprisal, Israel Sunday night placed the country’s northern borders and region, including the big port town of Haifa - and its early warning systems - on the highest level of war alert, closed its northern airspace to civilian traffic for a couple of days, stationed Iron Dome anti-missile batteries at vulnerable points, and advised local authorities to go on standby.
All the parties concerned, from Washington and Moscow, to Jerusalem, Tehran, Damascus and Beirut, were waiting Monday on tenterhooks to see who made the next move.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-05/syria-declares-israel-attack-act-war-while-israeli-defense-forces-close-northern-air

( Syria not taking any steps so far..... )

Syria Declares Israel Attack An "Act Of War', While Israeli Defense Forces Close Northern Airspace

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/05/2013 13:40 -0400

Iran

Israel

In the aftermath of last night's second attack in two weeks by Israel on Syria, the immediate response has so far been muted, with Syria condemning the aggression as an act of war. According to UPI, Syria "vowed to retaliate after an apparent Israeli airstrike on the capital Damascus early Sunday. A government official said on CNN the attack on a military research facility was "an act of war" that the government would not take lightly. "Syria is a country that does not accept insults and it doesn't accept humiliation," said Omran Zoabi, Syria's information minister. Zoabi added the attack had opened "a wide door for all possible options." It remains to be seen what, if any, option Syria will take or if it will merely jawbone toothlessly, inviting further unrequited air-based incursions into its territory. Most likely any response will need the preapproval, and the assistance, of Putin.

Incidentally, the only response so far has come from Israel. As Stratfor reports, citing Israel News, the airspace in northern Israel has been closed until May 9 due to an Israel Defense Forces directive issued May 5. Which means the only planes flying in north Israel, which borders Syria through the Golan Heights, would be military.

In the meantime, those curious what Israel bombed and why on Sunday Morning, Enduring America has compiled a detailed analysis on the topic.

Early on Sunday morning, huge explosions rocked northern Damascus.

Scientists said that the explosions measured between two and three on the Richter scale, a scale designed to measure earthquakes. Giant balls of fire rose above Mt. Qasioun, a mountain that overlooks the capital and is at the center of Syria's largest military complex. The very symbol of Assad's control over Damascus was on fire.

Immediately, Syrian officials stated that an Israeli airstrike had hit a military installation in the area. Within a short time, unnamed American officials confirmed Israel had struck Damascus, a sign that the US government likely greenlighted the attack.

This strike took place within days of another Israeli airstrike that apparently targeted a shipment of rockets en route from the Syrian military to Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon.

Some analysts have said that a stockpile of rockets, made in Iran and bound for Lebanon, was the target of this second strike.

However, this analysis ignores the fact that several important military installations appear to have been the targets of this most recent strike.

The Syrian government claimed that a military research facility was struck (map). In addition, there have been many videos of the explosions, taken from many different angles, which suggest that a much wider range of targets, across a wider area of the military installation, were struck and not simply a convoy of rockets.

An initial analysis by Stroyful's Félim McMahon suggests that the research facility itself was not hit, but rather the nearby headquarters of the 104th Brigade. Beyond this, videos suggest that huge stockpiles of weapons, likely artillery shells and ballistic/artillery rockets, were also destroyed in the airstrike.

The 104th Brigade is an elite group of Republican Guards tasked with defending one of the most sensitive areas of Assad's defense network in the capital.

The precise locations of the targets are still being nailed down and confirmed, but some insurgent leaders are reporting that an even wider stretch of area was hit:

IAF raided 12 targets including units of 4th division and air force intelligence without penetrating Syrian airspace.

12:07 AM - 5 May 2013

View Strike near Mount Qasioun (May 5, 2013) @felimmcmahon in a larger map

The 4th Armored Division is Assad's most important unit, run by his brother, Rifaat Al Assad. If the 4th Armored Division was indeed the target of the airstrike, this is a major blow to Assad and to the regime.

The Israeli airstrike did not target stockpiles of weapons deep in storage.

These are the most important fortresses that the regime maintains, and are instrumental to Assad's ongoing defense against the rebel offensive. These artillery and rockets from this area are used to routinely target insurgent positions, and civilian neighborhoods, all across the capital, from east to west, north to south.

These stockpiles are particularly important to Assad's efforts to retake Darayya, the largest suburb of Damascus which has been at the front lines of the fight for the capital for over six months. There are unconfirmed reports that the 4th Armored Division and the 155th Brigade SCUD missile base were also hit, but even if this is not the case, the Israelis have struck at some of Assad's most important bases, just kilometers from the Presidential Palace.

The message to Assad is clear. If the regime continues to move rockets across the border to aid Hezbollah, Israel will not only strike at the immediate threat, but will deal serious body blows to the regime, severely hampering Assad's efforts to counter Syria's insurgency.

The question remains, however, as to whether destabilizing Assad was the ultimate goal of this airstrike. At the very least, Israel has proven that it is willing to pick a side and go all in if it feels threatened.

This incident should also permanently put to rest the debate as to whether Assad's air defense is capable of standing up to external threats. Assad is completely vulnerable, and has been dealt a serious blow. As a result, Israel may have completely changed the debate about foreign intervention in a single instant, and may have catalyzed an international drive to remove Bashar al-Assad from power.

and.....

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4376367,00.html

US source: Obama leaning toward US aerial strike in Syria

Published: 05.05.13, 17:50 / Israel News

Former US ambassador to the UN and member of former President Bill Clinton's cabinet Bill Richardson interviewed for ABC network and said that Israel sent a sign to Iran, Hezbollah and perhaps also to the US that the situation is worsening.

Regarding a possible response by President Barack Obama Richardson said that the president is leaning toward aerial strikes in Syria, but not toward a ground invasion. (Yitzhak Benhorin, Washington)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/05/05/301939/iran-ready-to-train-syria-army-cmdr/

( Iran not getting involved in Syria War..... )

Iran ready to train Syrian army: Iran cmdr.

Commander of the Iranian Army’s Ground Forces Brigadier General Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan speaks to reporters on May 5, 2013.

Sun May 5, 2013 2:13PM GMT

Commander of the Iranian Army’s Ground Forces Brigadier General Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan says Iran is ready to train the Syrian army should Damascus require assistance.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Pourdastan added that the Syrian army has gained experience during years of conflict with the occupying regime of Israel, and has the ability to defend itself with no need for foreign assistance.

"As a Muslim and friendly country, we stand by Syria and if there is need for training, we will provide them with necessary training,” the senior Iranian commander asserted.

He, however, emphasized that Iran would not have “active involvement in their operations.”

Pourdastan’s remarks came as the Syrian state television reported on Sunday that Israel has carried out an airstrike against the Jamraya Research Center, located northwest of the capital, Damascus. The center had been targeted by another Israeli airstrike back in January.

The Sunday attack came shortly after Tel Aviv confirmed that its warplanes had hit another target in Syria on Friday.

The unrest in Syria began over two years ago, and many people, including large numbers of Syrian soldiers and security personnel have so far lost their lives. The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country.

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad said in April that the situation in the country was improving as the army enjoys popular support in the fight against terrorism.

and...

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/05/05/301898/israel-struck-syria-with-us-green-light/

Israel attacked Syria with US green light: Iran’s defense minister

Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi

“The Zionist regime’s (Israel) attack against this country (Syria), which was launched with the US green light, unmasked the connection between the mercenary terrorists and their supporters and the Israeli occupying regime,” Vahidi said on Sunday.

The Syrian state television reported earlier on the day that Israel has attacked the Jamraya research center, located northwest of the capital, Damascus. The center had been targeted by another Israeli airstrike back in January.

The Sunday attack came shortly after Tel Aviv confirmed that its warplanes had hit another target in Syria on Friday.

On Saturday, US President Barack Obama said the Israeli regime had the right to launch airstrikes on Syria.

“The adventurism of the Zionist regime (Israel) in the region will heighten the anti-Zionism waves and shorten the life of this fake regime,” Vahidi said.

The Iranian defense minister warned that the sinister measures by Israel jeopardize the security of the entire region and noted that such moves by Tel Aviv reveal the regime’s confusion over the current developments across the Middle East.

The turmoil in Syria began over two years ago, and many people, including large numbers of Syrian soldiers and security personnel, have been killed. The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country.

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad said in April that the situation in the country was improving as the army enjoys popular support in the fight against terrorism.

http://www.infowars.com/unprovoked-attack-on-syria-us-backed-israel-commits-egregious-international-crime/

Unprovoked Attack on Syria: US-backed Israel Commits Egregious International Crime

Tony Cartalucci
Infowars.com
May 5, 2013

Unprovoked, Israel has attacked Syria numerous times over the past 2 days, including attacks on the Syrian capital of Damascus, in what appears to be a series of intentional provocations designed to drag the region into a wider conflict its US sponsors can then enter militarily. Neither attacked directly by Syria, nor able to cite credible evidence in regards to perceived threats Israel claims to be reacting to, the assault on Syria represents a Chapter VII breach of the United Nations Charter.

What’s more, is that while the US feigns disassociation with Israel’s breach of international peace, after jointly fueling a genocidal sectarian conflict within Syria’s borders for the past two years, it is documented fact that the US and Saudi Arabia planned to use Israel to conduct military attacks against Iran and Syria, they themselves could not justify politically, legally, or strategically.

What is now hoped is that Syria and Iran retaliate militarily, allowing the “other shoe to drop,” and for the US, UK, France, and their regional axis to directly intervene in Syria, and with any luck, Iran.

Insidious Ploy Engineered and Documented in 2007-2009

As early as 2007, it was reported that a US-Saudi-Israeli conspiracy to overthrow the governments of Iran and Syria by arming sectarian terrorists, many linked directly to Al Qaeda, was already set in motion. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh in his 2007 New Yorker article, “The Redirection,” stated (emphasis added):

“To undermine Iran, which is predominantly Shiite, the Bush Administration has decided, in effect, to reconfigure its priorities in the Middle East. In Lebanon, the Administration has coöperated with Saudi Arabia’s government, which is Sunni, in clandestine operations that are intended to weaken Hezbollah, the Shiite organization that is backed by Iran. The U.S. has also taken part in clandestine operations aimed at Iran and its ally Syria. A by-product of these activities has been the bolstering of Sunni extremist groups that espouse a militant vision of Islam and are hostile to America and sympathetic to Al Qaeda.”

Of Israel and Saudi Arabia’s partnership it specifically stated:

“The policy shift has brought Saudi Arabia and Israel into a new strategic embrace, largely because both countries see Iran as an existential threat. They have been involved in direct talks, and the Saudis, who believe that greater stability in Israel and Palestine will give Iran less leverage in the region, have become more involved in Arab-Israeli negotiations.”

“The Saudi said that, in his country’s view, it was taking a political risk by joining the U.S. in challenging Iran: Bandar is already seen in the Arab world as being too close to the Bush Administration. “We have two nightmares,” the former diplomat told me. “For Iran to acquire the bomb and for the United States to attack Iran. I’d rather the Israelis bomb the Iranians, so we can blame them. If America does it, we will be blamed.””

“…it would be far more preferable if the United States could cite an Iranian provocation as justification for the airstrikes before launching them. Clearly, the more outrageous, the more deadly, and the more unprovoked the Iranian action, the better off the United States would be. Of course, it would be very difficult for the United States to goad Iran into such a provocation without the rest of the world recognizing this game, which would then undermine it. (One method that would have some possibility of success would be to ratchet up covert regime change efforts in the hope that Tehran would retaliate overtly, or even semi-overtly, which could then be portrayed as an unprovoked act of Iranian aggression.) ” -page 84-85, Which Path to Perisa?, Brookings Institution.

And:

“Israel appears to have done extensive planning and practice for such a strike already, and its aircraft are probably already based as close to Iran as possible. as such, Israel might be able to launch the strike in a matter of weeks or even days, depending on what weather and intelligence conditions it felt it needed. Moreover, since Israel would have much less of a need (or even interest) in securing regional support for the operation, Jerusalem probably would feel less motivated to wait for an Iranian provocation before attacking. In short, Israel could move very fast to implement this option if both Israeli and American leaders wanted it to happen.

However, as noted in the previous chapter, the airstrikes themselves are really just the start of this policy. Again, the Iranians would doubtless rebuild their nuclear sites. They would probably retaliate against Israel, and they might retaliate against the United States, too (which might create a pretext for American airstrikes or even an invasion).” -page 91, Which Path to Perisa?, Brookings Institution.

And Israel not waiting for a plausible justification to attack Syria is exactly what has just happened. It should also be noted in particular, the last paragraph which gives insight into what the US-led axis plans to do after this egregious international crime – that is – to incrementally engulf the region into a conflict it finally can justify its own entry into open military aggression.

What Should Syria and its Allies Do?

Syria, Iran, Russia and other nations that support the besieged nation most certainly were aware of the Brookings document “Which Path to Persia?” and familiar with this strategy. It would be hoped that anything of value that the Israelis would seek to attack in order to provoke a much desired retaliation and subsequent war, would have been provided additional protection, or moved entirely out of range of potential Israeli attacks.

A media campaign to illustrate the hypocritical and very revealing convergence between Al Qaeda (the so-called Free Syrian Army or FSA) and Israeli interests would undermine whatever remaining support the battered and failing Western-backed terror campaign inside Syria may still have.

Additionally, Israel’s selection by the US to carry out this attack was done specifically because Israel has long-ago exhausted its international legitimacy. What it is doing in Syria is a blatant international crime, in direct violation of international law. Currently, Syria and its allies hold the moral high ground against an enemy who is no longer fooling the world. If it is calculated that Syria can survive Israel’s unprovoked brutality, it would be best to do little or nothing, and incur internationally the same outrage that accompanies Israel’s brutality against the Palestinians.

In light of the US using Israel as its proxy against Syria, should Syria and its allies retaliate, it would be best to do so through any proxies they themselves have at their disposal. Just as Hezbollah and the Palestinians now routinely defeat Israel both strategically and politically, Syria now faces an opportunity to do so again, only on a much bigger scale.

The outrageous actions of Israel, the despicable double-game the US attempts to play by feigning disassociation with its regional beachhead in Tel Aviv, and the silent complicity of the UN, has people around the world desperately seeking retaliation from Syria, or Iran, or both. In reality, this is precisely what the West hopes to achieve – a wider conventional war in which they hold the advantage. By refusing to retaliate directly, Syria cripples the West politically, highlighting the unprovoked nature of their attacks on a nation they claim is a threat, yet fails to strike back even when its capital is under bombardment. By responding through its own plausibly deniable proxies, tactical and political pressure can be put on Israel to end its aggression.

It appears that the Western-backed terrorist front in Syria has been dealt a fatal blow and is in the process of complete collapse. The attack by Israel is a sign of desperation, seeking to expand a conflict that is about to end. Syria and its allies face difficult decisions and dangerous desperation in the coming days and weeks – with an axis of rogue states committing increasingly heinous atrocities in search of a response.

http://www.infowars.com/report-assad-to-declare-war-on-israel-following-fresh-airstrikes/

Report: Assad “to declare war” on Israel following fresh airstrikes

The Commentator
May 5, 2013

Following evidence of chemical warfare and an increasinly reticent US position, Israel has in recent days taken widely reported steps to neutralise threats emanating from within civil war-torn Syria.

While strikes from Lebanese airspace this weekend are not thought to have been on chemical weapons caches, the recent Israeli intelligence regarding the use of such weaponry is thought to have spurred on a round of strikes, including the latest just hours ago.

The Syrian state news agency SANA, citing initial reports, said early Sunday that Israeli missiles struck a military research center near the capital Damascus.

Syrian state television has reported that a major strike on an ammunition depot in Qassiyoun mountain shook Damascus, while Hezbollah’s Al-Manar station claimed the explosion may have been a downed Israeli jet.

Rumours are surfacing online that following the latest volley of attacks on the Syrian regime, President Bashar al-Assad will soon officially declare war on Israel, with speculators pointing to 5am local time for official confirmation. This information continues to persist despite the technical state of war that currently exists between the two states.

Many however, have been quick to dismiss these reports as strictly rumour, with various commentators claiming that such a move would be sure to end Assad’s reign of terror in Syria “within a week”.

UPDATE 03:15am GMT: 5am local time in Syria has passed without comment from military authorities or the Assad regime. Speculation continues about the nature of the attack with some insisting that Israel’s weaponry was “nuclear-like”, that chemicals can be “smelt” in the air, and that the attack was co-ordinated by Israel with help from Syrian rebel forces.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

UPDATE: 04:36am GMT: Sources suggest that Qassiyoun mountain was the home to many stationed Assad forces, with some projections claiming over 10,000 could have been stationed in and around the area.

UPDATE: Sunday morning: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to call a cabinet meeting for 3pm today to discuss the ongoing situation.

Full story here.

http://www.infowars.com/israeli-bombs-over-syria-part-two/

Israeli Bombs Over Syria, Part Two

Daniel McAdams
Lew Rockwell Blog
May 5, 2013

For the second day in a row, the Israeli government is reported to have bombed Syria — this time near Damascus — according to reporting by theWashington Post.

As the Washington Post — itself deeply in the ideological pockets of the left-neocons — concludes, this is Israel’s response to American skepticism over its lurid tales, without evidence, of chemical weapons use by the Syrian government:

“The attack Friday coincided with mounting pressure on the Obama administration to formulate a response to the growing risk of weapons proliferation in the Syrian war, notably the possibility that chemical weapons are being used in the conflict and could fall into the hands of extremists.”

Translation: “We told you a red-line violating story and you did not believe us. Time for Plan B. We’re going in.”

The Washington Post piece also confirms that the Israeli military clearly backs up the Islamist insurgency fighting the Syrian government, made up primarily of al-Qaeda in Syria (AIS):

“There were reports Friday that an overnight rebel mortar attack had caused a huge blaze at the Damascus airport, with a video posted online showing at least two locations on fire. But the Lebanese security official said the blasts, which woke him up, were bigger than those caused by mortar shells and that his Syrian counterparts had confirmed to him that the source was an Israeli strike.”

It’s not rocket science — the Israeli military and the insurgents share the same targets. Does theWashington Post realize the implications of its reporting?

The passive-aggressive US State Department, which is curiously — or not — silent every time its beloved insurgents commit an atrocity of a Boston-on-steroids scale against Christians and others who do not support al-Qaeda in Syria, has nevertheless suddenly found its voice to condemn Syrian government for a “massacre” in Baida, where seven bodies have been found killed in possible retaliation for the killing of seven members of the Syrian Army.

The US is suddenly “appalled by horrific reports” with no evidence, while silent on the truly horrific atrocities committed by its allies, the insurgents — including documented evidence of their forcing children to behead enemies of the insurgency.

Here is what the corporate media will not tell you: the Syrian government has engaged in a highly successful counter-offensive over the past three weeks that has left the foreign based insurgency on the verge of total defeat. This is the impetus for the manic Israeli bombing campaigns against the Syrian government. The silly claims of the Israeli general falling flat on the still-professional US intelligence analytical community, things just became very grave for the regime-changers in the US and Tel Aviv. The only incoming Israel has received from Syria has been insurgent fire in the Golan intended to establish the illusion of an instability so grave it requires an Israeli military response. Israeli warhawks obliged.

The cost of the Bibi-ista tactical alliance with al-Qaeda will sadly likely be high for the average Israeli who wants no part of this fight. Not unlike the ultimate cost of US support for Bin Laden against the Soviets which culminated in 9/11. The Israeli peace movement is a final hope…we are with you!

UPDATE: Did Israel nuke Syria?

http://beforeitsnews.com/israel/2013/05/eyewitnesses-israel-drops-nuclear-type-bomb-on-damascus-2442046.html

Eyewitnesses: Israel Drops ‘Nuclear-Type’ Bomb On Damascus, 2 Israeli Jets Shot Down, Assad To Declare War On Israel

Saturday, May 4, 2013 18:39

(Before It's News)

I’ll continue to follow this as things develop.. -Mort

milant ‏@milant35m

Israeli Chanel 10 is reporting loss of contact with 2 of its warplanes near the Syrian border.#Syria

#MuqtadaalSadr #Iraq #Syria #Syriancivilwar Iraqi Shiite leader urges Syria to strike back at…http://dlvr.it/3Kj3gv
@haaretzcom: Airspace over northern #Israel and #Haifa area closed off to civilian flights http://htz.li/13VHSIf #Syria
#Syria state TV says #Israel attack caused “many civilian casualties and widespread damage.” Latest:http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/05/us-syria-crisis-blasts-idUSBRE94400020130505 …

Breaking: Israeli media reporting that airspace over northern #Israel is closed off to civilian flights.#Lebanon #Syria
@Naharnet: #Breaking Al-Mayadeen: #Syria is ready to provide the resistance in Lebanon [i.e.,#Hezbollah] with all types of weapons.

Rula Amin ‏@RulaAmin23s

Ghassan Ben Jeddo on mayyadeen TV says Syrian sources told him syrian govt has deployed missile batteries aimed at Israel #syria

Alexblx ‏@Alexblx53s

HQ of #Syria Republican Guard – & 104th & 105th Brigades of the Repub Guard were heavily hit in the attack” #Damascus http://pietervanostaeyen.wordpress.com/2013/05/05/the-israeli-attack-on-mount-qassiyun-an-overview-of-video-material/ …
@haaretzcom: Free #Syria Army condemns ‘#Israeli aggression’ but says has no connection to ithttp://htz.li/13VHSIf
RT @DannyNis: #Hezbollah TV releases first (claimed) footage of this morning’s bombing site.http://youtu.be/sm1RZI5RnwY
Al-Manar TV: #Syria to hold an emergency government meeting shortly, with the military address to the Nation to… http://fb.me/17DGLTojD
#Syria state TV: Cabinet says Israeli strikes in Damascus overnight “opens the door to all options”
Syrian Information Minister speaking live now from Damascus http://www.presstv.com/live.html
From GLP: “Speaking to friends in Moscow, the feeling there is that Russia won’t retaliate directly for the bombing in Damascus but will strike back with an invasion of Georgia which they could do very quickly with them still having massive military forces in South Ossetia.”

Islamic Jihad, Gaza:
Israel crossed red line after attack on Syria
Al Manar broadcasts images from Israeli raid on Syria http://youtu.be/NTT_Hq8uSPI #Syria #Jamraya#Damascus

SOLDIER OF TRUTH ‏@TheRealNews36518s

Report: Assad “to declare war” on Israel following fresh airstrikes http://bit.ly/ZJ47l8 #news #syria #assad#israel #bbc #cnn @haaretzcom

MordySiegel ‏@mordysiegel1m

#Israeli military on high alert as it prepares for possible #rocket attacks from the north. #Syria

Haifa to beef up security, readiness to emergency and reopening bomb shelters and reception centers. [link to www.ynetnews.com]

Ton Kraanen ‏@Baka_6222s

#Lebanon is set to file a complaint against #Israel with the #UN citing “repeated violations perpetrated by Israel”. #syria #civilwar

The Syrian Foreign Ministry sent a letter Sunday to the United Nations and the UN Security Council that the “Israeli aggression” killed and wounded several people and “caused widespread destruction.” It also condemned the Israeli airstrikes, saying the attacks aim “to give direct military support to terrorist groups” fighting the government. Syria’s government refers to rebels trying to topple President Bashar Assad’s regime as “terrorists.” (AP)
[link to www.haaretz.com]

RT ‏@RT_com27s

BREAKING: Arab League condemns alleged Israeli strike on #Syria, urges UN Security Council to acthttp://on.rt.com/pmxxo6

Alexblx ‏@Alexblx2m

#FSA ANNOUNCES ATTACK on all #Assad BASES in #Damascus: “The Free #Syria Army’s Supreme Military Council in (cont) http://tl.gd/n_1rk4m5a

Graham Jervis ‏@JervisCapital1m

#BreakingNews: #Iran declare they will respond to #Israel‘s air strikes as part of the pre-existing defence agreement they have with #Syria.

Hany Rasmy ‏@hany2m21s

AFP: #Egypt condemns Israeli ‘aggression’ on #Syria after strik

Russian and Iranian media Sunday, May 5, predicted full-scale Middle East hostilities involving Israel erupting in the coming hours, in the wake of Israel’s renewed strikes against Iranian missiles bound for Hizballah and other targets around Damascus. Russian sources reported rumors that President Bashar Assad was on the point of declaring war on Israel.
Russia Today claimed that an Israeli rocket strike Sunday caused heavy Syrian casualties –according to rumors, at least 300 members of the Syrian Army’s 501st Unit dead and hundreds filling four Damascus hospitals. debkafile: If this is confirmed, then the unit which operates the chemical weapon facility at the Barzeh district north of Damascus at the foot of Mt. Qassioun was hit.
The same Russian source reported that Syrian security forces cordoned off the sites of the explosions against entry. Residents reported after the blasts that the ground moved with the force of a 4 magnitude earthquake. [link to www.debka.com]

RT ‏@RT_com1m

BREAKING MORE: #Israeli airstrike ‘aims to give direct military support to terrorist groups’ – #Syria via@AP http://on.rt.com/pmxxo6

(the world has truly gain mad when Israeli forces are giving direct aid to Syrian jihadist forces)

Hany Rasmy ‏@hany2m18s

UPDATE 1- #Iran calls for stand against Israel after #Syria attack | Reuters http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/05/syria-crisis-iran-idUSL6N0DM09K20130505 …

Hany Rasmy ‏@hany2m48s

AFP: 3 sites targeted, including military facility, weapons depot and an anti-aircraft unit west of#Syria‘s capital http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/17022235/israel-launches-air-strikes-near-syrian-capital/ …

Nasser Atta ‏@nasseratta558s

#Iranian army chf of stff: the resistance will respond to the Israeli air strike on #syria and Iran will not allow Israel to destabilize ME

Haaretz.com ‏@haaretzcom2m

LIVE BLOG: @Netanyahu delays China trip to make room for special security cabinet meetinghttp://htz.li/13VHSIf #Syria #Assad

Koert Debeuf ‏@koertdebeuf1m

Syria’s deputy FM: Attack on #Syria military facility ‘declaration of war’ by Israel http://htz.li/13VHSIf

Edisa ‏@EdisWorldView1m

#Syria Deputy FM calls Israeli bombing a “declaration of war.”

Free Zaidoun ‏@freezaidoun1m

Al-Manar TV: #Syria to hold an emergency government meeting shortly, with the military address to the Nation to follow.

Commandante Yazan ☭ ‏@SyrianFortress4m

Emergency Government meeting will be held shortly, with Military address to the nation afterwards.#Syria #SAA

[9:32 am GMT] The Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu is still scheduled for his visit to China. This is good news.
[9:10 am GMT] Reuters is also reporting Iran condemning the attack (expected) and calling for the region to stand against the action. Source
[9:06 am GMT] Reuters is reporting a senior Israeli official on Syria’s Chemical Stock pile as “Not wanted” by the Hezbollah rebels. This is very good news for the region, instead Hezbollah is after conventional weapon systems. Source
[8:59 am GMT] An expansion on the previous update, an IDF official has been quoted as saying “Iron Dome batteries are deployed from time to time in different locations across the country according to security assessments. The system is currently being deployed in the northern region.”
[8:48 am GMT] Haaretz is reporting the deployment of two Iron Dome Battery systems (Anti missile systems) near the cities of Haifa and Safed, to address tension along the country’s northern border.

[3:12 pm NZT] RT is citing a local journalist reporting 300 people dead and a total of 4 blasts striking the area.

[3:04 pm NZT] The BBC is currently playing a phone interview to a local journalist(?) of people experiencing a minor earthquake before the blast. In his words this could indicate an underground structure being attacked. This is not confirmed – Just the latest on BBC news

Paddy ‏@Ozipaddy25s

***Can anyone conform?*** RT: ‏@Jayron26 It’s official. #Syria has declared war in #Israel. It’s abt to get real in the Middle east .

Fahd ‏@Fabiomvp4m

@AlArab_Qatar Israeli channel ten confirms that 12 raids took place in #Syria #damascus and its suburbs #cnn #war
Assia Boundaoui ‏@assuss18s
Israeli strikes in #Damascus continue “@Ebn_Aljabal: Another Wave of Explosions is rocking #DamascusRight now. HOly Mother oF God!!” #Syria

Fawkes Mulder ‏@Star_Fawkes1m

Reports Suggest Assad “to declare war” on Israel following fresh airstrikes:http://www.thecommentator.com/article/3447/assad_to_declare_war_on_israel_following_fresh_airstrikes#.UYW81DpMXFs.twitter … #Syria

An Israeli warplane was shot down by Syrian air-defense unit during a raid near Damascus early Sunday, Hezbollah’s Manar television station reported, citing security sources in the Syrian capital.

There was no independent confirmation of the claim.

Israeli media: 2 warplanes lost over #syria in sorties early Sunday morning. #BREAKINGNEWS Major bombing missions on #syrian regime

From Occupy Congress:
BREAKING: Eye witnesses in capital city of #Syria say #Israeli military has dropped nuclear-type bomb.pic.twitter.com/pYofymNaMJ

OCongress Occupy Congress2h

BREAKING: Eye witnesses in capital city of #Syria say #Israeli military has dropped nuclear-type bomb.pic.twitter.com/pYofymNaMJ

Details

Blind Warrior ‏@In_Sight_Full1m

#Syria! Now I’m hearing in English & Arabic that there have been explosions at the #Lattakia military airport in the last half hour

UN KILLS SYRIANS ‏@luv2live21m

“UNCONFIRMED: Convoy of over 30 vehicles left presidential palace in Mezzeh. Reports that buildings in same complex were torched” #SYRIA

CitizenoftheWorld ‏@CitizenoftheWo446s

Assad “to declare war” on #Israel following fresh airstrikes – The Commentator:http://www.thecommentator.com/article/3447/assad_to_declare_war_on_israel_following_fresh_airstrikes#.UYXIX5USM_k.twitter … via @TheCommentator #Syria

CAB Bible ‏@AnnotatedBible55s

Seeing reports that #Israel killed 2,000 #Assad troops and injured 8,000 more!!!!!

Bushraaa ‏@BSyriana_40s

According to an Israeli channel, Israel has officially cancelled all schools/day jobs tomorrow in case#Syria decides to attack Tel Aviv.

Sean Michael Thomas ‏@seanthomas_RT2m

#Damascus based journalist Abdallah Mawazini: 300 soldiers killed in attack, more wounded. Actists claim up to 2,000 deaths. #Syria
RT @The_New_Syria BREAKING NEWS: The #Mennagh airport in #Aleppo has been completely liberated.. // #syria

Reports lots of soldiers were also killed in the blast in Damascus – via RT #Syria

Ahmad Rahban أحمد ‏@arahban26s

Thousands of Damascenes are taking refugee in shelters with more than 40 explosions heard throughout the city #Damascus #Israel #Syria

Божидар Маѓероски ‏@BobbyMageroski9m

#Syria #Israel “REPORTS OF SYRIAN ARMY ON ITS WAY TOWARDS BORDER OF ISRAEL STATE ALERT WAS DECLARED BY ISRAEL”
@mrjaredtomlin #Syria-n army making a announcement right now. Lets see what happens. Im hearing jets are ready
Univerified reports say that #Syria is preparing to declare an official state of war against #Israel 05:00 local time http://bit.ly/Urybui
@IsraelHatzolah: REPORTS OF MAJOR EXPLOSIONS AT MILITARY AIRPORT IN NORTH #SYRIA DTF

Michael Forian ‏@Forian22s

.@IsraelHatzolah is reporting that 30,000 #Israeli soldiers have been told to mobilize in preparation for war with #Syria. #IDF
#Syria #Damascus: Massive destruction and fires are reported at the headquarters of the 4th Division in the suburb of Qudsaya
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=33.528374&lon=36.224499&z=13&m=b&tag=516&search=Sabboura

#SYRIA #Damascus: Strange odors throughout the capital city are causing runny eyes and coughing

RT @THE_47th: Eyewitnesses in Damas: Assad Brigades 104, 115 are leveled. #Syria

1KM away from Presidential palace in #Damascus there are confirmed news of ANTI CRAFT firing RIGHT NOW. #Syria

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-aide-syrias-assad-if-he-drops-sarin-his-own-people-what-s-got-do-do-us_720803.html

10:12 AM, MAY 5, 2013 • BY DANIEL HALPER

President Barack Obama got ahead of himself and his advisers when he said that Syria using chemical weapons would cross a "red line," the New York Times reports.

“How can we attack another country unless it’s in self-defense and with no Security Council resolution?” an unnamed Obama administration official tells the paper. “If he drops sarin on his own people, what’s that got to do with us?”

But they concluded that drawing a firm line might deter Mr. Assad. In addition to secret messages relayed through Russia, Iran and other governments, they decided that the president would publicly address the matter.

Several officials said they recalled no discussion about the “red line” phrase but suspected that it came out of the election-year conversation about Iran and how far to allow its nuclear program to progress before being forced to take action. It was a concept that was “embedded in people’s prefrontal cortex,” one of the officials said.

While surprised at the president’s use of the term in regard to Syria on Aug. 20, advisers concluded that it had succeeded, at least for a while, since months passed with no chemical weapons attack.

But if the tough rhetoric "succeeded" for a time, it appears to have backfired in the long-run. Because Syria has now apparently used chemical weapons, and President Obama is not willing to do anything about it.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-04/powerful-explosions-shake-damascus-israel-attacks-syria-second-time-past-week

Powerful Explosions Shake Damascus As Israel Attacks Syria For Second Time In Past Week

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/04/2013 22:51 -0400

Citizens in Syria's capital woke up early on Sunday to a series of powerful explosions shaking the outskirts of Damascus, sending massive fireballs into the night sky. Preliminary reports that this was an Israeli attack were subsequently confirmed by NBC citing a senior US official who said Israeli jets had bombed a military research center near of Damascus. This would be the second Israeli attack on Syrian territory in the past week, following US media reports that Israel targeted a weapons shipment to the militant group Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon overnight Thursday to Friday, although the Jewish state has refused to confirm or deny the bombing. As RT further reports, during the attack, one Israeli jet was reportedly shot down by Syria's Air Force, according to Hezbollah's Manar TV channel, citing security sources in Damascus. This has yet to be confirmed through official channels although if accurate one expects Syrian media to promptly confirm with video evidence.

http://rt.com/news/damascus-syria-explosions-sunday-831/

Israeli airstrikes hit Damascus military site, city's airport - reports

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Published time: May 05, 2013 00:02
Edited time: May 05, 2013 11:44

Photo reportedly showing the explosions hitting Damascus suburb of Jamraya

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Syria unrest

Rumors fly as official info remains scarce

RT has managed to speak to local journalist Abdallah Mawazini, for a report on the latest developments.

“When the explosion happened in Damascus, all the houses were shaken. There was dust everywhere. Right now we’re receiving more information about the attack, which targeted the Jamraya military research center," he told RT. "Everyone woke up, most of the people ran downstairs – to make sure they are safe. Now we are getting more information. The sound of the explosion was heard everywhere in Damascus. People are scared.”

While no official casualty number has been made public, rumors on Syrian social media say that at least 300 soldiers stationed at Mount Qasioun have been killed and hundreds of others injured, Mawazini said. Many Syrians are calling for retaliation as the possibility of a full-scale war with Israel is speculated upon.

During the attack, one Israeli jet was reportedly shot down by Syria's Air Force, according to Hezbollah's Manar TV channel, citing security sources in Damascus. Two Israeli pilots of the downed IDF jet have been taken to a military area in Damascus under Assad’s control, according to reports in Lebanese and Syrian media.

War spillover into region feared

There has been no immediate official comment from Israel. "We don't respond to this kind of report," an Israeli military spokeswoman told Reuters.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the security cabinet on Thursday night to approve the airstrike, a source told Reuters.

Israeli military has called up several thousand reservists earlier this week for what it called a "surprise" military exercise on its border with Lebanon, AP reported.

Earlier this week, the IDF deployed two Iron Dome batteries near the cities of Haifa and Safed in northern Israel, amid tensions along the border in that area.

Video footage uploaded onto the Internet showed a massive ball of fire rising into the sky. RT could not immediately verify the authenticity of the videos.

“Until we get a clear picture of what exactly was targeted it’s difficult to speculate why the targeting took place. I’d say that the US gave Israel the green light for the previous attack in past months and reportedly gave them an OK to launch future strikes. So this probably isn’t something that happens on the spur of the moment,” news editor at antiwar.com Jason Ditz told RT.

“Of course, Syria is unlikely, being in the middle of a civil war, to launch much of retaliation against Israel directly, but at the same time this probably undermines some of the more Islamist factions in the Syrian rebels especially with reports that they are benefiting from these airstrikes,” he added.

In the meantime Netanyahu is leaving on Sunday afternoon for a five-day trip to China that will focus on economic ties and regional issues such as Iran, Syria and Egypt. His departure however was delayed by two hours to make room for a security cabinet meeting, according to Haaretz newspaper.

Airstrikes escalating

The Israeli Air Force conducted an airstrike on Syrian territory on Friday, reportedly targeting a shipment of advanced missiles. Unnamed US officials claimed that the missiles had been en-route from Iran to Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

Among the varying descriptions of the actual rockets, Fateh 110s have come up, which are advanced enough to strike Tel Aviv from southern Lebanon and, therefore perceived as a threat by Israel.

On Saturday, before Sunday’s overnight strike, US President Barack Obama stated that Israel has the right to defend against the transfer of advanced weapons to Hezbollah.

"I'll let the Israeli government confirm or deny whatever strikes that they've taken," Obama said in an interview with the Spanish-language network Telemundo.

Israel's Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon earlier told journalists that any alleged delivery of Syrian weapons to Hezbollah would be considered a "red line." Ya'alon then said Israel would not permit "sophisticated weapons" to fall into the hands of "Hezbollah or other rogue elements."

Obama has also said in the past that the crossing of a ‘red line’ would warrant further action from outside. This was in relation to the possibility that Assad forces may have used chemical weapons against Syrians – a claim that is still being investigated, with no evidence so far.

Nonetheless, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced on Thursday that the US may now consider arming the Syrian opposition – something the US has shied away from openly doing in the two years since the start of the Syrian uprising.

Asked directly if the administration was reconsidering its position on that option, Hagel said "yes"."Arming the rebels — that's an option," he said. "We must continue to look at options."

The conflict in Syria has entered its third year. According to UN estimates, at least 70,000 people have been killed since the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March 2011.

Syria: Israeli attack equals declaration of war. Iron Domes at Haifa and Safed

DEBKAfile Special Report May 5, 2013, 2:44 PM (IDT)

Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said Sunday, May 5, that the strike at Syria overnight represented a "declaration of war" by Israel. Russian and Iranian media earlier predicted full-scale Middle East hostilities involving Israel erupting in the coming hours, in the wake of Israel’s renewed strikes against Iranian missiles bound for Hizballah and other targets around Damascus. Russian sources reported rumors that President Bashar Assad was on the point of declaring war on Israel.

Russia Today claimed that an Israeli rocket strike Sunday caused heavy Syrian casualties – according to rumors, at least 300 members of the Syrian Army’s 501st Unit dead and hundreds filling four Damascus hospitals. DEBKAfile: If this is confirmed, then the unit which operates the chemical weapon facility at the Barzeh district north of Damascus at the foot of Mt. Qassioun was hit. Israel’s security cabinet holds emergency session.

The same Russian source reported that Syrian security forces cordoned off the sites of the explosions against entry. Residents reported after the blasts that the ground moved with the force of a 4 magnitude earthquake.

Shortly after the Israel attacks in the Damascus area Sunday, the IDF posted additional Iron Dome anti-missile batteries in Haifa and Safed to defend those northern towns against incoming Syrian and Hizballah rockets.

Low-ranking Syrian and Iranian officials responded to the Israeli attacks on Syria: Deputy Information minister His Al-Yiftah commented by saying that “a new foreign element had entered the Syrian conflict overnight and this would cause war.”

In Tehran, an Iranian foreign ministry official condemned “Israeli aggression on Syria and accused Israel of fomenting instability and ethnic discord in the region. The commander of the ground forces asked if the war was not about to burst out of Syria’s borders, without answering the question.
An Israeli official confirmed to AFP that Israeli had Sunday conducted a second round of strikes in three days on advanced weapons including Iranian F-110 weapons bound for Hizballah in transit at Damascus international airport. Syrian TV reported only an attack on the Jamraya military research center just north of Damascus. This was the same facility which Israeli planes attacked in January.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4376364,00.html

Syrian minister: Alleged Israeli strike 'opens up all options'

Following emergency cabinet meeting, Information Minister Zoabi tells reporters in Damascus reported Israeli strikes on Syria made Middle East 'more dangerous,' prove Jewish state's links to rebel 'terror cells.' Egypt, Arab League also condemn airstrike, urge UN action

Roi Kais

Published: 05.05.13, 17:51 / Israel News

"The Israeli enemy exhibited gross aggression against Syria and used missiles to bomb military facilities in violation of all international laws," Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoabi told reporters Sunday following an emergency cabinet meeting on alleged Israeli airstrikes against three targets on the outskirts of Damascus earlier in the day.

"This aggression opens a door to all options," the minister said, adding that the alleged Israeli strikes against Syria have made the Middle East "more dangerous."

Catharsis Ours

Sunday, May 5, 2013

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Eyewitnesses: Israel Drops ‘Nuclear-Type’ Bomb On Damascus, 2 Israeli Jets Shot Down, Assad To Declare War On Israel

Obama Aide On Syria's Assad: 'If He Drops Sarin On His Own People, What’s That Got Do Do With Us?'

Powerful Explosions Shake Damascus As Israel Attacks Syria For Second Time In Past Week

Israeli airstrikes hit Damascus military site, city's airport - reports

Rumors fly as official info remains scarce

War spillover into region feared

Airstrikes escalating

Syrian minister: Alleged Israeli strike 'opens up all options'

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