WarSclerotic

A senior official in the Trump administration says the US has made it clear to Russia several times in recent months that America supports Israeli attacks in Syria as long as Iranian forces are operating in the country, Channel 13 reported Sunday.

The unnamed official was quoted as saying the US had told the Russians that Israel has America’s complete support for attacking targets in Syria.

“We told them [Russia] that all the Iranian forces should leave, and this is not only an Israeli demand, but also an American demand,” the source reportedly said.

The revelation came after Israel retaliated for an attack a day earlier in which rockets were fired from Syria at Mount Hermon, with one explosion damaging a ski-lift.

Reports said seven “foreign fighters” were among the 10 killed in the Israel Defense Forces airstrikes Sunday on several military targets in Syria.

Smoke seen billowing from the landing site of a rocket fired from Syrian territory at Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights on June 1, 2019. (Screenshot from Mt. Hermon ski site CCTV)

According to Sunday’s report, the US official said Israel had asked the United States to intervene with Russia regarding Moscow’s commitment to keep pro-Iranian forces at least 70-100 kilometers away from the border, saying that Washington had raised the issue with the Russians in quiet diplomatic talks.

In three weeks the national security advisers of Israel, the US and Russiaare expected to meet in Jerusalem in the first security summit of its kind.

US National Security Adviser John Bolton and his Russian counterpart, Nikolai Patrushev, are expected to discuss Syria and Iran when they meet later this month in Jerusalem with Israel’s national security chief Meir Ben-Shabbat. Israel wants to push Russia and the US to cooperate in reaching a political settlement that will remove the Iranian forces from Syria.

Earlier this year, Amos Gilad, a former army general and powerful head of the Defense Ministry’s political affairs bureau, warned that Israel was failing to force Iran to abandon its plans to establish a permanent military presence in Syria, despite the success of Israel Defense Forces strikes there.

“On the tactical and operational level, the strikes on the Iranians are powerful. But on a strategic level, we are not succeeding,” Gilad said.

Israel has for years accused Tehran of trying to establish a permanent military presence in Syria from which the Islamic republic could threaten the Jewish state, much in the same way it does from Lebanon with its proxy there, the Hezbollah terrorist group.

A senior official in the Trump administration says the US has made it clear to Russia several times in recent months that America supports Israeli attacks in Syria as long as Iranian forces are operating in the country, Channel 13 reported Sunday.

The unnamed official was quoted as saying the US had told the Russians that Israel has America’s complete support for attacking targets in Syria.

“We told them [Russia] that all the Iranian forces should leave, and this is not only an Israeli demand, but also an American demand,” the source reportedly said.

The revelation came after Israel retaliated for an attack a day earlier in which rockets were fired from Syria at Mount Hermon, with one explosion damaging a ski-lift.

Reports said seven “foreign fighters” were among the 10 killed in the Israel Defense Forces airstrikes Sunday on several military targets in Syria.

Smoke seen billowing from the landing site of a rocket fired from Syrian territory at Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights on June 1, 2019. (Screenshot from Mt. Hermon ski site CCTV)

According to Sunday’s report, the US official said Israel had asked the United States to intervene with Russia regarding Moscow’s commitment to keep pro-Iranian forces at least 70-100 kilometers away from the border, saying that Washington had raised the issue with the Russians in quiet diplomatic talks.

In three weeks the national security advisers of Israel, the US and Russiaare expected to meet in Jerusalem in the first security summit of its kind.

US National Security Adviser John Bolton and his Russian counterpart, Nikolai Patrushev, are expected to discuss Syria and Iran when they meet later this month in Jerusalem with Israel’s national security chief Meir Ben-Shabbat. Israel wants to push Russia and the US to cooperate in reaching a political settlement that will remove the Iranian forces from Syria.

Earlier this year, Amos Gilad, a former army general and powerful head of the Defense Ministry’s political affairs bureau, warned that Israel was failing to force Iran to abandon its plans to establish a permanent military presence in Syria, despite the success of Israel Defense Forces strikes there.

“On the tactical and operational level, the strikes on the Iranians are powerful. But on a strategic level, we are not succeeding,” Gilad said.

Israel has for years accused Tehran of trying to establish a permanent military presence in Syria from which the Islamic republic could threaten the Jewish state, much in the same way it does from Lebanon with its proxy there, the Hezbollah terrorist group.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday warned Iran that Israel’s airstrikes on Syria earlier in the day showed that, when assaulted, the Jewish state hits back hard.

Speaking at a ceremony for Jerusalem Day, when Israel marks the unification of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six Day War, Netanyahu said that in the decades since that conflict many moderate Arab states have “sobered up” regarding their attitudes toward Israel, which they now see as an ally against Iran.

“While we do not make light of Iran’s threats, neither are we deterred by them because anyone who tries to hurt us will be hurt far worse,” Netanyahu said at the ceremony at Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem, the location of a key battle during the war. “We have proven this many times in the history of our state. We proved it just last night.”

The ceremony was also attended by President Reuven Rivlin, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi and other senior officials.

“Since 1967, a large number of Arab and Muslim countries have sobered up and today, thanks to our strength, they cooperate with us in an unprecedented manner,” Netanyahu said.

An IDF airstrike hits Syrian military targets, June 1, 2019. (IDF spokesperson’s unit)

The IDF carried out airstrikes on several military targets in Syria in the predawn hours of Sunday morning in response to two rockets that were fired from the country at the Golan Heights the night before, the army said in a statement earlier.

“Every year Iran transfers to its protege Hezbollah $700 million,” Netanyahu said Sunday evening. “These enormous amounts are used to fuel the endless aggression by Iran and its satellites in our region. Our neighbors know this, all the Arab states know it, and that is one of the things bringing them to a renewed closeness with us.”

Beginning at 4:10 a.m. Sunday, IDF helicopters and planes attacked several targets connected to the Syrian army, including two artillery batteries, several observation and intelligence outposts, and an SA-2 type air defense unit, the army said in its statement. Syrian media reported that Israel also struck several targets connected to Iran and its proxy militias in Syria, in the area of al-Kiswah, south of Damascus.

The strikes reportedly targeted weapons caches and a military training facility. Seven “foreign fighters” were among the 10 killed by the strikes, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor group.

The Israeli army refrained from specifying who it believes fired the two rockets at the Golan Heights — one of which landed inside Israeli territory, the other in Syria — but said it “sees the Syrian regime as responsible for all attacks against Israel from Syrian territory.”

Saturday night’s rockets appeared to be a relatively long-range variety, reportedly fired from the Damascus area, some 35 kilometers (22 miles) away, similar to an attack earlier this year aimed at Mount Hermon.

Mount Hermon is located in the northern tip of Israel’s Golan Heights. In addition to a popular ski resort, the area is also home to a number of military installations.

Syrian state media reported that Israel attacked the T-4 airbase near the northern city of Homs just after midnight Sunday, killing one soldier and wounding two others. A watchdog group said 5 people were killed.

The attack comes after the IDF carried out airstrikes on several military targets in Syria in the predawn hours of Sunday morning, reportedly killing 10 in response to two rockets that were fired from the country at the Golan Heights the night before.

Military officials told SANA that the attack targeted and destroyed a weapons storage facility and several other buildings at the base.  Israel has attacked the T-4, or Tiyas, air base on multiple occasions. They said one Syrian soldier was killed and two wounded.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported five killed, including one Syrian soldier. It said the attack also destroyed a rocket warehouse.

In addition to the Syrian army, Iranian fighters and Hezbollah forces are also stationed at the airbase, according to the monitor.

SANA also claimed that Syrian air defenses destroyed two of the incoming missiles.

There was no immediate comment from the IDF.

#BREAKING #NOW
Video documenting the targeting of the #T4 military airport by Israeli warplanes.#Israel #IDF #IAF #Iran #IRGC #Russia #USA #Syriapic.twitter.com/PqPvfxpJFN

— Eva J. Koulouriotis – إيفا كولوريوتي (@evacool_) June 2, 2019

Israeli defense officials have previously claimed the base is being used by Iranian forces as part of the Islamic Republic’s efforts to entrench militarily in Syria, something Israel has vowed to prevent.

An IDF airstrike hits Syrian military targets, June 1, 2019. (IDF spokesperson’s unit)

Beginning at 4:10 a.m. Sunday, IDF helicopters and planes attacked several targets connected to the Syrian army, including two artillery batteries, several observation and intelligence outposts, and an SA-2 type air defense unit, the army said in its statement. Syrian media reported that Israel also struck several targets connected to Iran and its proxy militias in Syria, in the area of al-Kiswah, south of Damascus.

The strikes reportedly targeted weapons caches and a military training facility. Seven “foreign fighters” were among the 10 killed by the strikes, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor group.

The Israeli army refrained from specifying who it believes fired the two rockets at the Golan Heights — one of which landed inside Israeli territory, the other in Syria — but said it “sees the Syrian regime as responsible for all attacks against Israel from Syrian territory.”

Illustrative: A photo released by Iranian media reportedly shows the T-4 air base in central Syria after a missile barrage attributed to Israel on April 9, 2018. (Iranian media)

Saturday night’s rockets appeared to be a relatively long-range variety, reportedly fired from the Damascus area, some 35 kilometers (22 miles) away, similar to an attack earlier this year aimed at Mount Hermon.

Speaking Sunday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran that Israel’s airstrikes on Syria earlier in the day showed that, when assaulted, the Jewish state hits back hard.

Speaking at a ceremony for Jerusalem Day, when Israel marks the unification of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six Day War, Netanyahu said that in the decades since that conflict many moderate Arab states have “sobered up” regarding their attitudes toward Israel, which they now see as an ally against Iran.

“While we do not make light of Iran’s threats, neither are we deterred by them because anyone who tries to hurt us will be hurt far worse,” Netanyahu said at the ceremony at Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem, the location of a key battle during the war. “We have proven this many times in the history of our state. We proved it just last night.”