The first two weeks of 2021 have, so far, been marked by an incredible increase in Israeli activity in the skies over Syria.
The most intense strike took place on January 13 morning hitting multiple Syrian and Iranian-affiliated targets in the province of Deir Ezzor, including the underground base of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Corps near al-Bukamal.
The pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Israeli strikes have killed 57 and wounded another 37. Pro-government sources confirmed only 5 casualties.
The airstrikes were so numerous that even Abu Yatem al-Katrani – the commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) 4th Brigade was killed in an airstrike.
The Israeli operations were carried out with the assistance of the United States – it provided intelligence and Israeli struck on them. Former CIA Director, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was reportedly discussing the airstrikes with Yossi Cohen, chief of Israel’s spy agency Mossad.
The US support of Tel Aviv’s aerial raids is a clear message to Iran, and is a very open support to Israel’s undeclared war against Iran, which it has been waging in Syria since hostilities began.
All of the airstrikes in the first two weeks of 2021 are the most significant by Israel, and over all, since the beginning of the war in Syria. They were so significant, that Damascus even accused Tel Aviv of carrying out the strikes in very open support of ISIS militants which the Syrian Arab Army is hunting.
Meanwhile, there appears to be a sense of urgency, or a sense of danger in the air, as the United States reinforced its troop positions in the Omar oil fields with artillery pieces and other equipment.
The US troops, together with their local proxies also hold frequent drills in the area, to keep ready, for some future unknown escalation.
Prior to New Year’s Eve, Iran’s top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated, in what Tehran claimed to be an elaborate Israeli operation.
Additionally, since around the same time, a farewell strike on Iran has been expected from US President Donald Trump, and the general chaos in the US ahead of Joe Biden stepping into office has been used by Israel as a chance to inflict as much damage as possible on Tehran and its allies.
Russia, at the same time, appears to also be preparing for an escalation of some sort, by building up its forces and is lying in wait.
Israel appears dead set on continuing its crusade against Iran and its allies in Syria. An urgency is felt, since Biden is unlikely to support Tel Aviv as much as Trump did, and every possible chance should be used. This is all in spite of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu removed the photo of Donald Trump from his Twitter, but all is fair in love and war.
Finally, both the American and Russian forces appear to be biding their time, waiting for an escalation that, with tensions at the breaking point appears closer than ever.
The year began with terrorist attacks in Syria, increased Israeli strikes, Iran threatening against any aggression against it, and the two most significant players in the face of Moscow and Washington are expecting an escalation, and no amount of preparation would be enough for the incoming storm.
Again why do news and internet outlets publish anything from the pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group who’s record of proof is suspect at best. Also how long is Russia intending this sore of Idlib Syria to fester, are they going to leave Syria frozen like this forever, with terrorist haven’s in Idlib, U.S. occupation in the east, Turkish occupation in the north, or constant terrorizing of Israeli strikes. Please can anybody explain to me if their is any end goal to Russian policy in Syria, or are they content with this unsatisfactory state of the country today.
Actually it is a satisfactory situation for Russia compared to the total collapse of the Syrian government which was about to happen if it was not for Russia (with help from Iran). Obviously the ideal situation for Russia would be a Syria without rebels, ISIS, US troops, Turkish troops, Israeli spies & bombings…..but that is not realistic and the Russian know that.
Russia is playing a balancing act where they try to look after their own interest with minimal risk to themselves and in the most efficient way possible.
They want good ties and be able to trade with everyone in the region. They want to play the long game, showing the region how they can be a reliable partner, being an example of a nation that looks after their own interest without destroying others. But are not afraid to protect their assets and interests.
However, once the Americans (with the help of Israel) go too far in terms of trying topple the Syrian government or destroying Syrian forces or actually targeting the Russian forces in Syria, that is when Russia will most likely have to act or pull-out.
The Russian mandate is to “help” keep the Syrian Government alive and “assist” them to keep as much of their territory as possible, nothing more, nothing less. The Syrians have to do the fighting and defending of their territories themselves. Russian were not mandated to protect Iranian forces.
The Russians can and only will assist. That was the deal, and even that comes with risks.
Many of us would love for Russia to eradicate US forces, pulverize isis et al. and ground the entire Israeli air force….but that’s not realistic.
The problem could be solved if both Russia and China sent in troops together and cleaned up this mess. Can someone explain why China has not contributed militarily in terms of boots on the ground not just equipment or supplies. Together just the sheer number of both militaries as well as Iran could clean sweep the country. I don’t understand China’s reluctance to do this considering it wants to be part of the reconstruction process later
I am guessing from an economic aspect, the risk is not worth it.
From a historical, traditional, cultural aspect, China basically does not do adventures, especially outside its backyard. Besides, strategically there are enough US forces encircling China and are kept busy with the closer South China Sea Island situation: https://peacenews.info/node/8888/encircling-china.
Even so, the one place the Russians do need to finish out of all that I listed, is Idlib, that festering sore of daesh loonies needs to be finished. The last major urban region in the populated west of the country under government control, would be major victory and psychological blow to the Israelis, Turks, terrorist, and the West.
Why do you think the Russians can do something about it?
The Russian have a very small contingent of troops and equipment that is very exposed to any of the other players.
Every other player on the on the scene can achieve local superiority and overpower the small Russian contingency very fast if they commit to it.
The Russians do not have a reliable way to send reinforcements if the shooting starts.
Of course non of the other actors want to antagonize the Russians by killing their troops, but that could happen if the Russian are not careful.
Does Israel still supply weapons etc to ISIS….previous ammo dumps discovered by SAA found such.
IMO, it is what is about to happen in Ukraine, not Syria or Iran, that’s going to test Russia’s resolve to survive in complete isolation from “the West”, not as its “partner”, ever.
“USA to provide more lethal weapons to Ukraine to strike Crimea and Donbass”
https://english.pravda.ru/world/145523-usa_lethal_weapons_ukraine/
IMO, Russia made a strategic mistake by not “annexing” the eastern area of Ukraine, as it did Crimea. Russia did not annex Crimea. Please state correct facts. Mod.
IMO, there is a very good chance that President Potato Head and sidekick Vicky “F*ck the EU” Nuland are going to order Comedian Zelensky to advance his military forces eastward to the Russian border and southward through Crimea to capture Sevastopol and block the new bridge across the Kerch Strait. All of this will purportedly be done, as the above article states, “to defend its territorial integrity.” But the real reason for it will be that the comedian will be threatened with exactly the same thing that Poroshenko was with respect to firing a prosecutor who was investigating his son — “either you move your military forces, or you’re not getting any more big loans from the IMF, USAID, NED, US Treasury, etc”.
I put myself into the shoes of the Oligarchic Transnational Elite Collective (OTEC) running the USA and UK and EU and I can see that this upcoming operation has a lot of pluses (cancellation of Nordstream II and the driving of a final, inextricable wedge between “the West” and Russia) and very few minuses, except a lot of dead people, which has never been on OTEC’s list of concerns. (As Albright said about 500,000 dead children in Iraq, it will all be “worth it”.)
Practically none of “the western nations” accept Russian sovereignty over Crimea. Nor do they accept the eastern regions of Ukraine as being autonomous from the US’s puppet regime in Kiev. That was/is what all the sanctions against Russia were/are all about………. along with the false flag Skripal affair, of course.
As far as “the west” is concerned, like all the other agreements the US has signed, the Normandy 4 agreement is not worth the paper it is written on (not that the US itself signed it; its vassals did and nowadays they might also be just as agreement-incapable).
With the US-IsraHell attacking Russian friends/interests in Syria and Iran, and the US-Ukraine possibly simultaneously attacking Russian friends/interests/territory in Ukraine, it’s going to be very interesting to see how the gentle men Mr. Putin and Mr. Lavrov respond to this American-financed, intelligence-supported Agression (and how “the West” responds to the defensive Russian response, especially when it comes to the nearly-complete Nordstream II and, for that matter, the other Russian pipelines, interests, etc in the EU).
Anybody other than me seeing that “Final Solution” moment just a bit farther down the railroad-track to all-out, “let’s decide this while we still have a hope-in-hell chance of victory” US/OTEC war to retain Full Spectrum Dominance of the world?
IMO, there is a very good chance that President Potato Head and sidekick Vicky “F*ck the EU” Nuland are going to order Comedian Zelensky to advance his military forces eastward to the Russian border and southward through Crimea to capture Sevastopol and block the new bridge across the Kerch Strait.
It is far easier to fight a defensive war than an offensive war of conquest. In this scenario this would favour the heavily fortified Russian forces, as Ukrainian forces would have to launch an amphibious assault. Not even the US Marines could take Crimea.
If NATO + Ukraine were to launch such as invasion, do you honestly believe they would survive Russia’s counterattack?
Dick, no, they would not survive, but the real object of such an assault by OTEC’s Ukraine would be as I stated —
“I can see that this upcoming operation has a lot of pluses (cancellation of Nordstream II and the driving of a final, inextricable wedge between “the West” and Russia)…..”
As the “Ukrainian” military advances eastward and southward, the moment the Russian military inevitably responds (“Ukrainian” forces will have orders to keep going until it does), the advance could/would stop; and then the OTEC-controlled nations would start their pre-planned, well-coordinated anti-Russian media/sanctions blitz that might very well result in the cancellation of Nordstream II, etc.
At the end of the “Russian Aggression on Ukraine”, the line of demarcation in the east may have been moved a bit eastward and a northern part of Crimea “liberated” by the Kiev government. Russia then issues a stern warning to Ukraine not to do it again, or else. Maybe “Ukraine” even moves its forces back to the status quo ante positions. Regardless, the comedian gets his IMF loan with the hope of getting many more in the future.
But the damage to Russia’s relations with “the West” might very well be much more extreme and permanent. So, for OTEC’s vassals, it’s Mission Accomplished, maybe with not that many dead.
(The “Final Solution” comes a bit farther down the railroad track than Ukraine. It involves OTEC’s upcoming attempt to “neutralize” China “for good”.)
Now, if the gentle men Mr. Putin and Mr. Lavrov were to announce today, in public, that if US…..er…..”Ukrainian” forces were to merely start moving eastward or southward, DC, NYC, LA, SF, S. Diego, Brussels, Berlin, Paris and London would be vaporized in “clean” nuclear fireballs 7.6 miles in diameter — just a verbal warning, mind you, nothing but words — that crystal clear “message” just might cause the members of the OTEC to re-consider whether such a provocative operation in little old Ukraine would really be “worth it”. After all, the leaders of the “free world”, especially the present idiot in the White House, make these “fire and fury” threats all the time. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, right? That’s only fair.
The OTEC’s Bewildered Herds in these targeted, vulnerable cities might actually get a bit concerned about their survival and do a little marching in the streets for world peace and nuclear-weapons-control treaties rather than everything else they’ve been “protesting” recently.
Kiev’s ATO aggression against its own citizens is at a stalemate, and the dysfunction displayed by its drunken / drug-addled troops ensures more of the same.. The only game-changer would be combat-drones, which Kiev can’t afford, and which would quickly be neutered when Russia supplies the anti-drone technology..
Nord-Stream 2 begins its completion-phase today, 15 January, with the legal framework in place to render US sanctions invalid.. The completion is scheduled to be in 4 months..
I am puzzled by the logistics of those strikes. To fly from Israeli air space to Al-Bukamal involves overflying either Syria or Iraq for hundreds of kilometres.
Surely those countries must resent this illegal violation of their air space – all the worse as it is carried out in the pursuit of illegal bombing of Syrian territory?
If the Israeli and US governments are not au fait with international law, it does not permit the bombing of a neighbouring country because “we think someone might be getting ready to attack us from there”. Otherwise Washington DC and Tel Aviv would be smoking ruins already.
Do the Syrians and Iraqis have no means of detecting and shooting down enemy bombers flying through their skies? Perhaps the Israelis choose the safer route across Iraq, and then shoot across the border at Al-Bukamal.
Maybe one of these days, as their aircraft leave Israeli air space, they will be suddenly destroyed. Who knows?
Tom, the IDF launches stand off ALCM’s from over the Mediterranean. They hardly enter even Lebanese territory now so as to not lose the element of surprise. However keep in mind that most of these ALCM’s get shot down by Syrian air defenses. The losses are exaggerated on the Syrians and no Iranians are killed.
“The year began with terrorist attacks in Syria, increased Israeli strikes, Iran threatening against any aggression against it, and the two most significant players in the face of Moscow and Washington are expecting an escalation, and no amount of preparation would be enough for the incoming storm.”
Seems like everyone involved is holding their collective breath until “the incoming storm” which will change everything. If Israel does a redo of 9/11, this time blamed on Iran instead of the Arabs, there is no predicting what could happen. An all-out attack on Iran would be the least of it. It would go nuclear within hours. Certainly, Russia and China would be involved early on as they have assets in the region that would be attacked as well. Biden will find himself blessed with a war that the USA is certainly not going to win in any meaningful sense of the word. Netanyahu will be smiling… again!
It turns out, that Iran is taking the possibility of Trump adventurism in his last days in office with regards to an eventual attack on the country seriously enough to allow the publication of this 15 years old interview with the father of the iranian missile technology, where martyr Tehrani Moghadam well aware of the fact, that the interview will not be publicized anytime soon because of its ultra top secret topic, talks about the fact, that Iran had already built and tested its operation INTERCONTINENTAL ballistic missiles capable of hitting usa. He even tells the interviewer, that he knows the general is not exaggerating, because the interviewer has been shown the evidence of the existence of the missile. Just look at the generals body language while he is taking about it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhgHydoRzaA
This maybe true, however Iran would require nuclear warheads to make these ICBM’s viable. Lobbing a half a ton conventional warhead across the world is not a deterrent.
That would actually make them useless! Mind you, that 90% of the bombs used by the usa in Iraq war were unguided bombs. You know, like world war II bombs, dumb bombs! On the other hand a few 10kg (not that you or i know the exact number!) bombs falling from the sky with the speed of 5 or 6 mach will not only shatter the usa psyche but could possibly bring down the house of cards, which is their economy. Just look at what the demolition of a couple of buildings in new york did to them! Not to mention the fact, that all of the usa support bases from which they conduct their murderous destruction like diego garcia to the rest will be destroyed too! Not to forget, that the entire 5. fleet of the usa will be the first to be annihilated. This is a war, that usa will loooose!
From the Uighurs of western China to the NATO hordes of western Europe, everybody & their dog is running amuck in Syria, for no logical purpose..
The main thing is that President Assad still enjoys popular support from 2/3 of real Syrians; always has, always will.. He is going nowhere..