According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Israel has been secretly coordinating with the US on many of its airstrikes in Syria, and senior officials at US Central Command have reviewed and approved many plans in recent years.
Israel frequently bombs Syria and frames the operations as strikes against Iran or Hezbollah, although the air raids often kill Syrian government troops and members of Iraq’s Shia militias. The latest Israeli airstrikes on Syria disabled the Damascus International Airport, marking a significant escalation in the air campaign.
Current and former officials told the Journal that the main focus of the coordination is on airstrikes that pass near al-Tanf garrison, a US military base in southern Syria near the border with Jordan. The officials said that the “vast majority” of the strikes passing through that area had been approved by the US.
The Israelis started flying airstrikes near al-Tanf in 2017 to avoid Syrian air defenses. The officials said that Israel notifies CENTCOM of its plans ahead of time. The command conducts a review of the operation and also notifies the secretary of defense and joint chiefs chairman. Israel has also notified Russian forces at the Khmeimim Air Base in western Syria of planned strikes.
The report said that the US doesn’t review all Israeli operations inside Syria, and doesn’t help Israel pick its targets. A significant number of Israeli airstrikes in the country don’t pass al-Tanf, including the strike on Damascus Airport.
The US has about 1,000 troops stationed in eastern Syria. On paper, the presence is about supporting the Kurdish-led SDF against ISIS, but the occupation is also about putting pressure on Damascus. The US maintains crippling economic sanctions on Syria, preventing the country from rebuilding after over 10 years of war.
The Journal report is the first time that the close US-Israeli coordination on airstrikes in Syria has been reported. But the US has always tacitly endorsed the operations as it never condemns them.
In 2019, Brett McGurk, the top Middle East official on President Biden’s National Security Council, penned an op-ed where he outlined his ideal Syria policy after resigning from the Trump administration over unfulfilled plans to withdraw from the country. In the article, McGurk said the US should support Israeli airstrikes in Syria.
We tell other countries when we plan to conduct “exercises” because we don’t want them to be construed to be threats. I assume we still have troops on the ground in Syria. Could it be that the US reviews Israeli plans for the same purpose?
Israel will not act for USA. It will do only if fits in to its game plan.
US approves Israeli strike in Syria? It is not credible report. Does any one think Israel will seek US approval from US for any action. No master will seek permission from his slave for any thing.Master will ask and the slaves will have to face the consequences if any.here the mad dog master Israel will bomb Syria and leave for the US to face any consequence.Russia has already warned Israel not play further mischief.If Israel ignores the warning and attacks it will be the slave USA which will have act against Russia
You’re probably right. The WSJ piece doubtless signifies a deliberate “leak” meant to signal Russia to the effect: “Don’t blame us.”
This is all bluster and deception. Anyone with even moderate awareness of the world knows that the US government IS Israel!
Duplicity, duplicity… There’s no place else we’d rather be…
Russia’s friendly relations with Israel are tested beyond breaking points everyday. Yet Russia only moans about severe, multiple stab wounds in its back from its dear friend, Israel. For a few examples, Israel has stabbed Russia in the back in Syria (endangering and killing Russia’s military), Ukraine (providing weapons and even fighters to kill Russians), and Lebanon (where Israel is planning to steal gas from Lebanon and deliver it to Europe to replace Russian gas). I would say to Russia, with a friend like that, you need no enemies. I wonder if Israel makes it on Russia’s list for a nuclear warhead when WWIII starts with Israel’s help?
Well said!
Well, the braking point came, And there iis no walking back. As Bismarck said, Russians are slow to harness quick to ride. It takes a long time to anger. In relationship with the West,the continuing saga of centuries was the state of relationship that both sides did not understand for what it is. Because the history going back into the most distant past reveals the relationionship that failed to grasp that the differences wee not in the clash of interests but the clash of civilizations, as Putin said recently, we may look like you, but we are not you.
It iis the clash of civilizations, Russiia never fit into Europe, no matter the vast spectrum
of shared history. And with it comes another historiy challenging relationship — Russia and Jewish. Some inspiring, some challenging, and some dark.
What we see playing out is the inversion of poles.
West self- defined itself as superior culture, someone used to sort out world’s problems — generally in its own interest. And barely noticed that Russia changed. No — it did not have to
pivot to Asia, it was already there. It just required to look at itself in the mirror
from a different angle.
Divferent patterns of development, differentt
education system, and different mentality.
But with the West showing zero interest, near contempt for the “inferior ” civilization – communication ended.
What changed everything’s is Ukraine. The monopoly in the use of force does not belong to West any more, Israel has bern particilary blessed by the American superiority post WWII, and is imitating Western ways with Russia,
It is rather unfortunate, as the world is changing right around Israel. Saudis and Iran had five rounds of talk. Turkey and Saudiis are raising level of economic engagement, Syria is here to
stay with Assad not in the box but very much part of regional networkinng. Saudis surprised US by ditching Hadi and cutting the deal with Zaidi Yemen (Houthis), already extended by other two months. As UAE — Saudi partner is in control of Southern Transitional body, a end game may be on the horizon.
This so upset Biden, that he semt US military there. Ostensibly to fight non-existent AQAP
and long dead ISIS. What is the real mission — we may find out.
But with Chinese monitoring “pirates” in Gulf of Aden, Russia seting in in Port Sudan on Red Sea nursing its nuclesf submarines, control of Bab Al Mandeb looks like a pipe dream.
So peace in any shale and form is undesirsble
until some deal with US military is reached.
As Biden has a poor record in being able to communicate with the region, likely they want to see his successor.
Or perhaps US military will get controlbof the island of Socotra.
We will know soon enough. But Israel should worry. Not about Russians directly — but inndirectly as old familiar anti-Iran coalition iis gone. And it will not be Russia but Turkey thst will soon be chipping away at more territory contrled by SDF, US proxy in Syria. Israel just does not get the message. Or perhaps it does, and reacts as a petulent child,
More like a sociopathic child, Bianca.
it is a secret! that only the wall street journal knows about
So, we are involved in yet another war. We involve, provide for, curry wars the world over. America! The bastion of freedom, democracy, diplomacy.
The Last Bastion… You need a magnifying glass to find diplomacy…
Yeh, a maximum of 10 minutes notice before strike early in the morning…! that is if US officials are awake at those times…!
Escalation by its nature is not one-sided.
Someone somehow is going to be hitting the Israel main airport. They made a big mistake doing this.
figures.
“The US maintains crippling economic sanctions on Syria, preventing the country from rebuilding after over 10 years of war.”
GENOCIDE AT ITS BEST