"Israeli attacks inside Syria risks widening war" CSM

 

"A series of strikes on a military facility just outside Damascus last night has been widely attributed to Israel, which would make it the second Israeli attack on Syria in less than 48 hours and the third this year. Among the reported targets of the two latest attacks were consignments of Iranian Fateh-110 missiles reportedly intended for Hezbollah, which would allow the Syrian ally to launch precise attacks on Israeli targets such as Ben Gurion Airport or the defense ministry in Tel Aviv from launch pads as far north as central Lebanon. Israel has stated that it will not allow “game-changing” weapons systems to fall into Hezbollah’s hands. But Hezbollah is believed to have acquired by 2009 a Syrian-engineered version of the Fateh-110, known as the M600. Both Syrian and Iranian versions carry a 1,100-pound warhead and have a range of some 150 miles. The M600 reportedly has a basic guidance system that allows it to strike within 500 yards of its target at maximum range, enabling more accurate strikes than Hezbollah’s other long-range missiles afford."  CSM

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I am puzzled by Israel's actions.   The first air strike was evidently against weapons in transit from Jamraya to Hizbullah in Lebanon.  

That, for me,was a comprehensible military action for the purpose of denying Israel's enemy a shipment of advanced missiles of the M600 variety.

This latest strike or set of strikes was against facilities that are virtually in Damascus itself.  Mount Qasiun overlooks the city and the targets seem to have been in the valley behind the mountain.  I have eaten in several very civilian restaurants on the side that faces the town.  To strike this close to the capital of Syria is to invite escalation.

It has been my understanding that the IDF did not favor fostering the victory of the Islamist dominatated rebels.  Does this set of attacks represent an assertion by the Natanyahu government of greater control of IDF actions?  pl 

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2013/0505/Israeli-attacks-inside-Syria-risks-widening-war

Comments

[Clifford Kiracofe]

Update on Muslim Brotherhood and their Syria ops:

"GAZIANTEP, Turkey // The Muslim Brotherhood recently opened direct contacts with opposition groups in Damascus, providing them with cash for the first time and promising political influence in an effort to gain their support, according to Syrians organising clandestine relief efforts in rebel-held areas of the capital."

Read more: http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/middle-east/muslim-brotherhood-opens-direct-link-to-rebels-in-damascus#ixzz2SWQJesHi

[DH]

IIRC at one point Israel sold technology we had given them to the Chinese. Also IIRC the Chinese have in recent years, I don't know if currently, been wooing Israel over something or other.

[turcopolier]

DH

IMO Israel does not believe it has obligations toward the US. That being the case they want to have a multifaceted foreign policy. pl

[DH]

Spying on us, the USS Liberty, selling our technology, cluster-bombing southern Lebanon after their embarrassing defeat, calling the offensive against Gaza 'Operation Cast Lead' (a phrase from a children's Hannukah song); these are not nice people like us.

From my memory of the China-wooing article, Israel was playing hard to get.

[johnf]

Isn't Bibi in Shanghai and Beijing at the moment?

Wouldn't mind being a fly on the wall there.

[Al Arabist]

Human storytelling and belief in the divine makes any bombing near Qasiun a terrible error. This little cave scene of Cain and Abel's doings was right at the center the weekend's fireworks. Do politicians and academics have no imaginations? http://www.naqshbandi.org/events/hajj/jabal.htm

[eakens]

The same way they have in the past.

[Matthew]

Great question. If Russia does nothing, it certainly clarifies the "worth" of Russian friendship. If Assad so much as sneezed at Israel, the USG would denouncing him from the podiums and fueling up the jets.

[Matthew]

Tyler: And people call Obama a paper tiger? Russia is now the ultimate paper tiger.

BTW, I thought Russia reprogramed those air defense systems after the bombing in 2007. I guess Russia gave Israel the codes again....

[Amir]

"Sending your jobs across the Pacific and collaborating with China to suck the wealth of the Middle Class through their ethnic Banksters, you can add.

[Alba Etie]

oth
I do not see where we should expect to see more culling in the JSC because of our special relationship with Israel . Perhaps you would care to elaborate . And on what basis besides personal bias might you make the statement that apparently President Obama is not a real man - perhaps you might elaborate on that as well .

[Clifford Kiracofe]

Zionist leaders visit Middle Kingdom including their MI folks to 'splain things:

"... head of Military Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, met his Chinese counterpart recently during a secret visit to Beijing where the two discussed developments in Iran and Syria.

The visit came about 10 days before Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled departure for China Sunday night, with the prime minister expected to raise concerns about Iran’s nuclear program and about Syrian arms falling into the hands of Hezbollah.

Kochavi’s host was his Chinese counterpart Major General Chen Youyi, 59, an expert on Russian, East Europe and South East Asia affairs. He and other senior Chinese officials met Kochavi in the State Security Ministry, the equivalent of the Israeli Mossad.
...
Netanyahu’s aides have held coordination meetings with senior American officials in recent weeks to prevent hitches and to make sure the prime minister’s visit doesn’t strike any raw American nerve...."

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israeli-head-of-military-intel-discussed-syria-iran-in-secret-beijing-visit.premium-1.519204?localLinksEnabled=false

[johnf]

China unveils peace plan based on 1967 lines

With Netanyahu and Abbas in the country, Beijing moves for larger role in international efforts to broker an agreement

http://www.timesofisrael.com/china-unveils-peace-plan-based-on-1967-lines/

[johnf]

Juan Cole publishes a "People's Daily" editorial on Beijing's increased interest in the Middle East - partly to counter the US's increased interest in the Far East:

http://www.juancole.com/2013/05/palestine-conflict-dragon.html

[Alba Etie]

"who love you baby ?"

[fatsamurai]

4th Armoured Division, Elite force, headed by Maher Al-Assad, Bashar's brother.

[Alba Etie]

Any chance that the PRC will have better luck at brokering a peace deal then the West had had ?

[harry]

He is suggesting you may get some more scandals in the near future. I doubt it but at least it is a testable hypothesis.

Obama is clearly a politician and not a statesman.

[Alba Etie]

Obama is clearly a politician and not a statesman - please explain ?

[Mark Logan]

Alba,

Strikes me as the way they might respond to Bibi attempting to BS them as if they were the kind of fools we are. Just a guess.