Aggression on Syrian Sites Prelude to Something More Serious?
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
A previous article discussed what happened. Three Syrian military facilities near Hama and Aleppo’s airport were struck, locations where Iranian military advisors are based.
Pro-government sources accused Israel of conducting the attacks, its warplanes likely operating from Lebanese airspace.
It’s unclear if any of its missiles were intercepted and destroyed. Clearly at least some struck intended targets. No casualty count was officially reported.
An unconfirmed report indicated surface-to-surface missiles were fired from Jordan. If so, Washington, Britain or Israel could have launched them.
Israel refused to comment on the Sunday strikes. They came ahead of Netanyahu’s Monday announcement about Iran’s nuclear program, discussed in a same-day article.
US war secretary Mattis said Washington had nothing to do with overnight Sunday strikes on Syrian targets.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency said “all these reports over an attack on an Iranian military base in Syria and the martyrdom of several Iranian military advisers in Syria are baseless.”
In early April, Israeli warplanes terror-bombed Syria’s T-4 airbase, the attack conducted from Lebanese airspace, causing numerous Syrian and Iranian casualties.
Reportedly 20 missiles were fired, eight intercepted and destroyed. Israel rarely ever admits responsibility for its acts of aggression, numerous incidents conducted against Syrian targets throughout years of war.
On April 26, Israeli war minister Lieberman ominously said Iran “is in its final days and will soon collapse,” adding:
If its forces attack Israel, the IDF will “destroy every Iranian military outpost in Syria threatening Israel.”
The Netanyahu regime won’t tolerate an Iranian presence in Syria “whatever the cost may be.”
Lieberman lied claiming Iran is establishing military bases in Syria “close to the Golan Heights…to attack us.”
Islamic Republic military advisors operate from Syrian bases – involved in combating US/Israeli-supported terrorists. No evidence suggests and Iranian plan to attack Israel or any other country.
Lieberman, Netanyahu and other regime officials lie repeatedly about Iran, not a shred of evidence supporting their baseless accusations.
Coincidentally with Netanyahu’s Monday announcement, Israeli Knesset extremists passed controversial legislation.
It lets Netanyahu declare war or conduct major military operations on his own after consulting with his war minister alone – bypassing the Knesset and security cabinet, along with ignoring international law.
MK Eyal Ben-Reuven denounced the law, calling it “severely harmful…another distraction from Netanyahu’s shaky legal situation” – letting him and Lieberman go to war on their own.
MK Ofer Shelah accused Netanyahu coalition partners of bowing to his will on this vital issue under extreme pressure, adding:
“Netanyahu’s contempt for everyone around him and for everything we’ve learned from our many wars has overtaken the recognition of many good and experienced Knesset members.”
Why this legislation any time and why now? It came along with Netanyahu’s baseless accusations about Iran’s nuclear program, days ahead of Trump’s May 12 deadline on whether to stick with the JCPOA or pull out – following overnight Israeli aggression on three Syrian sites, suggesting something much more serious could be coming.
What precisely won’t be known until events unfold. Russian passivity in the face of increasingly hostile US/Israeli actions against Syrian sovereignty leaves the country vulnerable to escalated aggression.
Maybe full-scale war is coming because Russia hasn’t acted to prevent it so far.
Is its resolve weakening on Syria? Is Putin’s passivity an attempt to prevent tougher US sanctions on Russian enterprises – coming in some form no matter what he does or doesn’t do?
Is he willing to sacrifice Syria for improved relations with Washington not forthcoming short of surrendering Russian sovereignty to its will?
He intervened in Syria to combat terrorism, mostly concerned about protecting Russian security.
Washington wants all sovereign independent governments eliminated – Russia, China and Iran its key targets, naked aggression and color revolutions its main strategies.
Believing patience with Washington can eventually change its hostile agenda is hoping for what hasn’t happened and won’t – not any time as far ahead as anyone dare predict.
Hegemons can’t be bargained with. They don’t negotiate. They demand.
Washington is hellbent to turn Russia and all other sovereign independent countries into US vassal states.
Putin’s failure to accept reality jeopardizes Russia’s security. It’s high-risk to confront Washington forcefully.
It’s higher risk to remain passive against a hegemon seeking the destruction of Russian sovereignty as a key step toward unchallenged global dominance – by whatever means it takes.
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