Late Friday, Israel carried out two airstrikes against different targets in northern Syria. One attack targeted the Scientific Research Center and warehouses near al-Safirah, in Aleppo Province, while the other attacked Syrian ground troops in Saraqib, in Idlib Province.
The attack on the research center was the first reported, with local media saying explosions were heard in the area. At least two people were killed in that attack, and eight others were wounded. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights labeled the casualties there as “Syrian members of Iran-backed militias,” but this has not yet been confirmed.
The attack on Saraqib killed an apparent bystander, and wounded six Syrian soldiers who were operating in that area. Saraqib, in Idlib Province, is mostly dominated by al-Qaeda-backed Sunni militants, so it is likely the Syrian troops were fighting them. Though Israel has claimed neutrality in the fight between Sunni Islamists and the Assad government, officials have at times confirmed they’d rather see ISIS ruling Syria than the existing government.
Al-Safirah and Saraqib are only about 35 miles from each other, but there is no apparent connection between the two strikes. However, Israeli officials possibly figured if they attacked Aleppo they might as well hit nearby soldiers in Saraqib as well. Both attacks happened at about the same time, so they were probably part of the same sortie.
Israel has not commented on either of last night’s strikes. Israel has already conducted several distinct airstrikes in Syria this month. Indeed, these are the fourth and fifth such strikes, following after two attack in Qusayr on November 1 and November 5, and a strike south of Damascus on November 4.
These earlier strikes were at least nominally related to the ongoing Hezbollah war—Qusayr is a border town to Lebanon, and the Damascus strike hit a Shi’ite suburb. But these most recent strikes have no such obvious connection. The Idlib strike is almost certainly unrelated to the Hezbollah war, and other than an unverified claim of “pro-Iran militias” at the research center, made by the not-always-reliable Syrian Observatory, there is no connection in Aleppo either.
Israeli warplanes were reported as crossing airspace over the US-run al-Tanf military base to carry out the recent strikes. While Syrian air defenses reportedly activated, they did not appear to contest the planes.
The growing number of strikes in Syria is a concern internationally, with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticizing the latest strikes. Russia and Iran are both allies of Syria.
Someone needs to put the brakes on this entirely.
It is really not too complicated to understand the motivation.
Syrian Observatoty is a one man outfit in UK. So, his information has to come from UK official sources.
Israel as a rule uses a one size fits all line — Iranian under every bed. However, the main point in this article is correct. The hits on Aleppo and Idlib are very different.
There is only one explanation for these strikes — UK feels that their outfit in Idlib, HTS, is losing control. These hits fit a previous pattern of bombing by US. Those were ALWAYS aimed at entities endangering HTS — the real controllers of Idlib.
In short, UK/NATO funded outfit HTS controls all the tribes and former Salafi/Al-Qaeda fighers that chose to relocate to Idlib. HTS keeps them subservient by controlling food aid delivered via Turkey.
Turkey made good inroads to peel off many disaffected former rebels by giving them opportunty to enlist under Turkish local regime. Turkey actually collaborated with Damascus to insure HTS cannot expand out of the space it is boxed in today. Turkey is enforcing this from Afrin/Jarabulus side. , Damascus, from Aleppo side.
All HTS White Helmets were quietly transported to NATO countries. It is possible today that times have changed and some Idlib tribes are no longer afraid of HTS. US cannot piss off Turkey — thus no longer bombing in Syria. It alpears the job was delegated to Israel.
lIt is possible that some tribes/groups are trying to abandon Idlib and negotiating with Damascus. In the past US occassionally hit presumablly “Al-Qaeda” in idlib, but miraculously ALWAYS hit those groups or leaders that were negotiating with either Turkey or Damascus to transition out of Idlib self-exile.
Given the pattern, this hit on an Aleppo building and then Idlib outpost has very likely respinding to an HTS call, targetting an attempt of deal making.
However, there apoears to exist a bigger goal overarching a specific micro goals.
Israel is continuouslly probing Syria hoping to learn the aircdefence capabilities Russia has in the area. It is rather tiresome to imagine Russia falling for such a transparent trick.
Israel tried many approaches., Struck Damascus, even places close to Russia’s naval base. Response was tepid, meaning the latest air defense was not engaged. But Israel can risk reaction should it cross red lines.
“Syrian Observatoty is a one man outfit in UK. So, his information has to come from UK official sources.”
Interesting non sequitur.
Are you one person? If so, where are you, so we can know which regime’s official sources your information has to come from?
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights labeled the casualties there as “Syrian members of Iran-backed militias,” but this has not yet been confirmed.
So the headline should read:
Three Killed, Several Soldiers Wounded in US backed Israeli Airstrikes on Northern Syria