Breaking: Israel conducts airstrike on Syria

[PrisonerOfHope]

Israel conducts airstrike on Syria - reports

Published time: May 04, 2013 01:26
Edited time: May 04, 2013 02:13


Tags
Conflict, Military, Israel, Syria

Israel has reportedly conducted an airstrike into Syrian territory this evening in a bid to halt the flow of arms out of that country, according to American officials who confirmed with both CNN and NBC News.

According to initial reports, Israeli warplanes were observed over Lebanese airspace, but there is no confirmation that any entered Syria’s.

According to CNN, US and Western intelligence agencies are reviewing classified data showing that Israel most likely conducted a strike in the Thursday-Friday time frame. Lebanon’s army website had listed an unusual 16 flights by Israeli warplanes penetrating Lebanon's airspace from Thursday evening through Friday afternoon local time.

Anonymous US officials who spoke with NBC said they believed that the target struck by Israeli forces was a weapons shipment meant for Lebanon's Hezbollah, and was "related to" chemical weapons technology.

In Washington, an Israeli spokesman would not comment on the reports, but stated that the transfer of weapons to the Lebanese political party would not be tolerated.

“Israel is determined to prevent the transfer of chemical weapons or other game-changing weaponry by the Syrian regime to terrorists, especially to Hezbollah in Lebanon,” said the Israeli official.

An unnamed Israeli defense official, while not confirming an airstrike, told CNN that "We will do whatever is necessary to stop the transfer of weapons from Syria to terrorist organizations. We have done it in the past and we will do it if necessary in the future.

rt.com/news/israel-strikes-syria-reports-798/

[schwartzie]

Israeli rockets strike Damascus military site - reports
Published time: May 05, 2013 00:02
Edited time: May 05, 2013 02:32



Strong blasts hit the outskirts of the Syrian capital early on Sunday, state TV reports, saying that Israeli rockets have targeted a military research center.

Massive explosions have been heard near Mount Qasioun in Damascus. The area hosts the Jamraya military research center, which came under Israeli attack earlier in January and marked the first incursion by Israel into Syrian airspace in six years.

A senior US official confirmed to NBC News that Israeli Air Force bombed the military research center.

Damascus-based journalist Abdallah Mawazini told RT that four blasts rocked the city, adding that 300 soldiers killed in the attack.

During the attack, one Israeli jet was reportedly shot down by Syria's Air Force, according to Hezbollah's Manar TV channel, citing security sources in Damascus.

"The new Israeli attack is an attempt to raise the morale of the terrorist groups which have been reeling from strikes by our noble army," Syrian television said.

There has been no immediate comment from Israel. "We don't respond to this kind of report," an Israeli military spokeswoman told Reuters.

Video footage uploaded onto the Internet showed a massive ball of fire rising into the sky. RT could not immediately verify the authenticity of the video.


The Israeli Air Force conducted an airstrike on Syrian territory on Friday, reportedly targeting a shipment of advanced missiles. Unnamed US officials claimed that the missiles had been en-route from Iran to Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

Among the varying descriptions of the actual rockets, Fateh 110s have come up, which are advanced enough to strike Tel Aviv from southern Lebanon and, therefore perceived as a threat by Israel.

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon earlier told journalists that any alleged delivery of Syrian weapons to Hezbollah would be considered a "red line." Ya'alon then said Israel would not permit "sophisticated weapons" to fall into the hands of "Hezbollah or other rogue elements."

The conflict in Syria has entered its third year. According to UN estimates, at least 70,000 people have been killed since the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March 2011.

rt.com/news/damascus-syria-explosions-sunday-831/