Israel launched heavy airstrikes against targets in western Syria’s Tartus region overnight Sunday into Monday, causing massive explosions, including one so big that it registered as a 3.1 magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale.
A correspondent for Al Mayadeen reported that the strikes targeted weapons depots in Tartus, and local residents felt earthquake-like tremors during the Israeli bombardment.
Al Mayadeen also reported that several civilians were killed by Israel’s bombardment on the coastal region, but the numbers are unclear. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the strikes were the heaviest in Tartus since 2012.
The Israeli attacks were part of more than 800 airstrikes that Israel has launched in Syria since former President Bashar al-Assad was thrown out of power. On top of the massive air campaign, Israel has also invaded southern Syria, capturing land in a buffer zone separating the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and areas beyond that buffer zone.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu celebrated and took credit for the regime change since Assad was an ally of Iran and Hezbollah but insists Israel needs to keep bombing Syria and occupying its land due to “threats” coming from the country. The US has backed Israel’s land grab in Syria, framing it as a defensive action.
Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, leader of the al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has taken over Syria, has said he does not seek conflict with Israel. He said Israel no longer has a justification to bomb Syria since Iran and Hezbollah no longer have a foothold.
“The enemy of my enemy, is my friend.”…
In this case you better not mistake any enemy as your friend, they are enemies only and friends with no one.
At this rate of bombing its neighbors, it looks like Israel will run out of steam. Its basking in its deluded "victories." We've seen this before. It destroyed PLO military capabilities in Lebanon only to get Hamas on October 7th. Now it thinks it has destroyed the axis of resistance. None of its objectives have been reached and once they are its through negotiations like the Lebanese ceasefire and the expected "hostage" release and Gaza ceasefire. In the meantime, look what Israel has done to its image, economy, security and the mental well being of its people.
"…look what Israel has done to its image, economy, security and the mental well being of its people."
Sayeth the leaders of the ASI : "Whaddya mean ? None of those factors have EVER been better ! Image ? It's illegal to hate us. Economy ? We're manufacturing more lies and exporting more harm than ever ! Security ? We're exterminating whole ethnicities of current and future not-us entities ! Mental well-being ? No True Israeli Patriot takes any issue with any of this !"
🙂 As we speak there are thousands of children who are resolved to be journalists, doctors, engineers and lawyers to find, detain and prosecute the war criminals among them.
Wonderful – do much rather they aspire to those noble professions than that of mercenary or assassin.
Even if, in the West, to the question of “What do you call 50 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean ?” we reply, “A good start.”
(perhaps an old lawyer joke is needed today)
Lol… I haven't heard one in a long time. For the most part, I agree except for those few good exceptions.
I don't know about mercenaries and assassins, but fighting age males against the Israelis will be in the nudreds of thousands if not millions.
…but it's all a matter of the tech differential. The 4 Pizzaro bro's (steel) were able to defeat thousand strong Inca armies (stones) . The United States of Israel will succeed until it faces a technological peer. And the only one on scene is Russia who is otherwise engaged … or just not interested.
That was just to show how much hatred Israel and Euro-America have generated in the region against them.
However, the weapons in the region are enough to defeat anyone. The US lost in Vietnam. Iran manufactures its own drones and shares military technology with Russia. Turkey is a part of NATO but purchases Russian military technology to support its own military industry. Israel's America provided military edge will be of no avail to it. Even if they use nuclear weapons against their enemies, Israel will still lose.
There are many examples in history where smaller less equipped armies defeated larger better equipped armies. From Greek battles against the Persians, to King Henry V, to the Scotts, to the Taliban.
Underneath the Israelis are scared to death, while their enemies are insanely motivated to the death to get at them.
No trust lost between them, all the backstabbing and crossing each other will start soon enough, and most likely it will be bloody. The vultures will fight for their part of Syria.
No doubt. The only factor that can derail their plans is Syrian unity.
They have lots of bombs, they do know how to use them, no skill needed to drop a bomb. Why not use them? Who cares what al-Jolani has to say anyway?
Some in Israel believe what others are beginning to realize that this was a trap. This rag-tag group of 20 to 30 thousand men in pickup trucks winning is too illogical especially when the entire Syrian military forces simply stopped and disappeared.
If it is a trap Netanyahu fell for it in the same manner that Russia did in Afghanistan when the coalition set up a similar situation over there. It will end up in a war of attrition in Syria while Hamas and the others continue in other parts.
What? Assad may have escaped, but his loyal followers have not. They are being rounded up. Some jailed and some executed. Some trap that is.
That is the way it goes. I don’t think it is the Israeli generals. It would be Netanyahu to be reckless. He makes mistakes and then defends those mistakes
The Russian pattern is to draw an army in and then trap it. Russia did that to Napoleon drawing him all the way to Moscow and then burned Moscow down. Russia did that to Germany so it has been done before with success against professional armies and it has worked deja vu
Turkey has told Russia not to close its naval base. Turkey has a lot going on with BRICS especially Russia which is building a nuclear plant and training Turkish engineers on how to run it. Billions from China -It would be illogical for Turkey to suddenly go against them
One big ammo storage site goes up in smoke.
There was a European term for US troops fighting in Europe. The modern version would be:
Overzealous, Overextended , and Over there😂
sweeping into Damascus within a handful of days – is when a Syrian military of 200 thousand or more simultaneously stopped fighting across Syria. Even in places with no confrontation. Syria has been the object of desire for Israel and the US since before 2011.
Syria resisted the entire coalition of Al Qaeda, ISIS, and US-sponsored Jihadists for four years before Russia came into the picture. Suddenly they stop fighting and Russia is leaving.
That would make the Truce part of the trap. Israel needed the Truce since Hezbollah rockets were hitting targets in Tel Aviv with precision. Israel got the Truce and immediately its proxies attacked Syria that suddenly became "defenseless"
Giving enough rope into Honey Pot Syria is how the trap is set.
I bet Assad and Putin are ironing out the details in Moscow of a war of attrition
Would that the mysterious disappearance of the Syrian Army had happened Friday the 13th instead of Dec 7th. Then it would seem even MORE like a Templar-style scheme than a Pearl Harbour "sneak attack that higher-ups knew about in advance".
It is exceedingly queer that a unified, coordinated "disarm & fade away" of the Syrian defenses happened as it did. I can only assume al-Jolani looked as surprised at his victory as Trump did the night in Nov 2020 when his campaign defeated Hillary.
Nov 2020? Wrong date.
I don't think it is the Israeli generals. It would be Netanyahu to be reckless. He makes mistakes and then defends those mistakes
The Russian pattern is to draw an army in and then trap it. Russia did that to Napoleon drawing him all the way to Moscow and then burned Moscow down. Russia did that to Germany so it has been done before with success against professional armies and it has worked deja vu.
Turkey has told Russia not to close its naval base. Turkey has a lot going on with BRICS especially Russia which is building a nuclear plant and training Turkish engineers on how to run it. Billions from China -It would be illogical for Turkey to suddenly go against them
The realization is just happening. All the major players went quiet.
Putin pulled his troops out or had them move into the military camp
Syrian army simply stopped fighting, even on the eastern side of Syria it just went silent
Hezbollah took the truce and backed off
Iran did nothing