Report: Israel planning to attack Hezbollah arms depots in Syria
The Kuwaiti newspaper Al Rai reports that Israel is preparing to strike Hezbollah targets in Syria; Al-Arabi Al-Quds reports that western diplomats have asked Bashar Assad to refrain from interfering with Israel-PA direct peace talks.
By Jack Khoury and Haaretz Service Tags: Israel news Syria HezbollahIsrael is planning to attack Hezbollah arms depots and weapons manufacturing plants in Syria, the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Rai reported on Saturday.
The report is based on Western sources who asserted that Israel has increased its military force level along the northern border in the Golan Heights and Mount Dov areas.
The report cited European sources who claimed that recent Israeli unmanned aerial drone flights over Lebanon and Syria signal Israel's intentions to carry out operations in the area.
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Israel Air Force F-16 taking off on a mission. |
| Photo by: AP |
According to the report, Israel plans to attack Hezbollah weapons depots, including ones deep inside Syria that store long-range rockets.
The Al Rai report said that the situation on the Israel-Syria border is tense and that Syria could respond immediately to any Israeli attack and not demonstrate the restraint that it did after the Israeli Air Force bombed a suspected nuclear reactor in Syria in the fall of 2007.
According to the report, Syria's military is on high alert and is strengthening its anti-aircraft defenses along the border with Israel and at strategic sites within Syria.
Western diplomats to Assad: Don't interfere in Israel-PA talks
Also on Saturday, the Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper reported that western nations, including the United States, have in recent days asked Syria to refrain from negatively interfering with the upcoming direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, set to open next week in Washington.
According to the report, American officials expressed their firm opposition to Syrian President Bashar Assad taking any position or exerting any influence on the talks, as they fear that another failure of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians could lead to even graver consequences than did past failed talks.
The report said that Assad was also asked to restrain Palestinian militant organizations that operate on Syrian territory, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
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Article mentions what the Syrians are preparing: - rockets factories? - for Hizbulla - nuclear plants ? - for ? Syria surprise-attached Israel on Yom Kippur and lost the rest of the Golan. Who's gonna blink first?
what a great ploy!!!!!!!! I think they should move the weapons, i hope they have. Take a guess who's watching and how they are doing it.
Only irrational and stone ages people think this way. Diplomay must be used and not military power.
Yitsak gets killed for his concessions, Sharon falls into a 1st of its kind deep sleep and is never heard of after the Gaza pullout - Now Bibi with his bf Libi will start a war to avert real peace... Only in ISRAEL!
A Kuwaiti newspaper is reporting, based on "western sources", whatever they may be, that Israel moved troops up north. And "A PROOF THAT iSREAL WANTS WAR! NOT PEACE!" is the knee-jerk reaction of the average commenter here. Classy.
Why do it now? The only outcome would be to enrage Obama, and why would anyone in Israel think that blowing up a few arms depots is worth pissing off a President?
This piece simply reports what a Kuwaiti journal with no earth shattering credentials is 'reporting'. I can't read the article because I don't have the language but it sounds like a bit of propaganda designed to colour the current negotiations with the image of an ever-belligerent Israel. I doubt it will go much further. The Times won't pick it up nor will the big US papers.
IDF does no like to face a real army and prefers to rampage a defenseless civilian population and claim an invincible aura over coward victories. Any attack on Syria-Hezollah-Iran will open massive coordinated rocketfire towards Israel, it won't be a free ride anymore.
like vatican america and britain
As usual, the Middle East's number one predator is on the prowl. Syrian women and children take cover.
israel have onced provoked its neighbours, this is a lunatic state and it is israel who threats others, not the other way around.
"But despite strong backing for Hezbollah, Syria remained keen to strike a peace deal with Israel... A political settlement with Israel is high on Syria's list of priorities and intelligence shows a will to reach an agreement – but on their terms, meaning a return of the Golan Heights and American involvement" [Brig. Gen. Baidatz of MI] said." - Haaretz One would think such an analysis, and others over the years, would lead to one simple conclusion: Get Syria out of Iran`s orbit and make peace with it. This will bring an end to military Hizballah by chocking off its weapons supply, and also bring peace with Lebanon, as Papa Assad said. Syria`s close alliance with Iran is not natural. Syria is secular, Iran fundamentalist. Syria is an Arab state, Iran Persian (long time no friends). Syria is mostly Sunni, Iran Shiite. Syria used to be friendly to the US, since they joined the coalition against Saddam in the 1991 war. Jim Baker visited Syria 15 times. After the 9-11 attacks Syria helped the US in hunting al-Qaida, even to the extent of torturing some on behalf of the CIA. But Syria continued to support Hizballah as pressure against Israel. However, Bush had larger (and confused) ambitions, so he made Hizballah one of his targets. Syria, as their supporter, became "evil", and Israel can now use this excuse to refrain from dealing with Syria and maintain its hold over the Golan. There is a price to the Israeli reluctance to talk peace with Syria. Since 1973, when Egypt got out of the Israeli-Arab conflict, Syria tried to cause trouble only indirectly, so as not to be attacked itself. Israel, though had to go to war twice already, in Lebanon, in 1982 and 2006. Another one is expected. All these were indirect Syrian wars. But now, Syria is willing to repeat the Hizballah strategy and engage Israel in its own war, perhaps as part of a larger war led by Iran.
I am betting that when Netanyahu feels that the peace process in Washington is going aginst Israel's interests as he sees it, then he will do his utmost to wage a war against Hizballah, Syria and most likely Iran, If Hizballah and Syria are attacked Iran will not sit on its hands as Iran knows that Israel has other plans in the making and prefer to keep the war going away of its borders. Hizballah alone was able to win the las round( As oer the independant war college in Washington) then having to fight three countries at the same time for very very long will turn Israel into Isra-Hell. This time America will not rpt will not get involved, we have enough problems on our own. It would be fun watching the show.
If this is true, it will mean Israel is taking matters into their own hands, once again, and as a result, many civilians are going to suffer the consequences. Israel is like a spoilt brat. It simply cannot get on with it's neighbors, and blames everyone else for the situation. But look who keeps attackingt it's neighbors.
...the right-wing IDF regime will start with provocations if not another war. This has been the usual Israeli excuse to maintain the facts on the occupied West-Bank. Israeli hasbara machine will soon claim: "we can't have peace with our Arab neighbours, we are in a constant war, as they do not accept our right to exist." Fact: Israel is risking the lives of the secular people in Tel Aviv in order to keep the criminal settler enterprise in the occupied West-Bank.
No matter what crimes Israel commits against America. US zionist politicians will support Israel as usual. Israelis killed Rachel Corrie, shot Tristan Anderson, imprisoned Cynthia McKinney, bombed USS Liberty, bombed US-owned targets in Operation Susannah and much more. USA supported and covered for Israel. No one can speak their mind. First it was Mel Gibson when he made remarks about the Jews, then it was Helen Thomas and now Oliver stone. And the fact remains that these guys had to apologize; why? if the Jews did not own the media why would they worry? Because those fools think that they live in a free world so they speak their mind; then when they realize that there are red-lines which they should not cross; because they are speaking the truth..they apologize
That's what the Western sources said,but according to the Syrian newspaper Al Geez,Israel is too weak and won't risk another humiliation after Hezbollah divine victory in 2006 war,Hamas divine victory in 2009 and IHH divine victory in 2010. More divine defeats to come...
RIGHT ON !!!!
this has always been the zionist way...no talking peace w/o a war!! lost opportunity !!
"Talk peace wage war" Typical Christian policy going on for centuries,. Clever, but the world at large has caught up with the bluff.
Makes sense. Syrian Air defences are not in good shape yet, it does not really matter whether or not they know Israelis are coming, IAF can do its business anyway.
It would not surprise me that the IAF would do this. Syria has repeatedly crossed red lines and given Hizbullah weapons they should not have. If the LAf were all Lebanon had ok give them the weapons, but Hizbullah is not the LAF
right now a bigger ME war will have catastrophic consequences on a global scale.You should try peace for a change.Peace.
USA is a colony of Israel and has been so for too many years. In 1973 Chairman of US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator J. William Fulbright admitted saying, "Washington, DC is Israeli-occupied territory. As relates to the Middle East, American foreign policy is conceived in Tel Aviv, and born in Washington." After so many years, Israeli hold on USA is much greater. No country can kill US citizens and get away except Israelis.
Of course Israel tells the world before attacking,this is another useless article.
If the IDF retook Gaza now, killed or arrested the Hamas leadership and gave the place back to the PA (although its authority would temporarily be enforced by Zahal - as it is, de facto, in the West Bank), two immediate consequences would be to enable Abbas to sign a real, definitive peace treaty and to remove an all-important pawn in Iran's strategy, dealing the mullahs a very heavy blow.
Lebanon and Syria are sovereign countries ! How would Israel react if Syria would constantly send drones over Israeli territory ? ....there would be a full scale war ! Don't do to others that you would not want them to do to you .
Israel has the "right" to send UAVs, F16s or anything she wants over other country's sovereign air space! Only Israel can determine what is or isn't illegal!! If other countries posses anything more than pea shooters, it changes the "balance" of power, and have the right to strike/attack at any time Israel chooses. This after all, is Israel!! I mean, when you are god's chosen people, how could you possibly be wrong??
Hey Walt last time I looked a state of war existed between Lebanon, Syria and Israel. Tell Herzbollah and Assad dont do to others that you would not want them to do to you.
"I mean when you are God's Chosen People how could you possibly be wrong !? Ah! Finally we have someone who understands. Till now people were groping in the dark.
The only right of Israel is to stay in their own country. I think if Israel attacks Syria they will have more problems than before. In that case all weapone deliveries to Israel has to be forbidden.
How would Israel react if Syria would constantly send drones over Israeli territory ?
why????? make you respect yourselves,and you will see Israel TO COMPLY.
Strikes that are predicted so detailedly will never take place. Or did we hear anything about the imminent bombing of a Syrian reactor or about the upcoming start of the Iraq war in 2003? This would have been madness. Think about it.
from the well-known source, Al Rai. What other crap can you dig up, HaAretz?
To the IAF, Good hunting boys !
Except I hope we won't kill anyone, just bend some pipes....wherever they might be concealled.
I agree with "Fact". This is a news bite to stir the up proverbial pot against Israel and make poor Syria look so unjustly provoked. Its pure rubbish.
Hopefully Syria will send all of its air force up. It will be a turkey shoot for the IAF and when it is over, Syria will , as so many times in past wars, have no air force again ! I guarantee you that as soon as it starts Barak will want to pull back. That is his usual behavior.
as to war,barak does not compare with you.thanks for sharing some of your own martial experience.
Right-wing Israeli's are living in La La Land. 1. Syria has obtained a.o. advanced anti-aircraft missiles, 2. it has a military pact with Iran and Hezbollah. A IAF strike on Syria means that within 60 minutes 1000's of missiles will start to rain down all over Israel and there's nothing Israel can do about it. Russian IGLA-s anti-aircraft missiles and anti-tank missiles will halp Hezbollah-Syrian forces to push the IDF deep into Israel.
Who gives a damn what a Kuwaiti paper writes? This now counts as a legitimate new source for Ha'aretz?
When are you guys gonna stop talking the talk. Don't talk. Do it! - If you think you're hard enough? From whence came this Israeli bravado? Massada?
They can't bring themselves to point finger at Hezbz and Syria in Hariri's case and a new war would get them off the hook.
war is the most fervent wish of France it seems . War on somebody elses territory of course ,so La France could butt in and play the Great Peace Maker.
I agree with Bambi Eyes, at the moment this is just a rumour by only one Kuwaiti newspaper. Joshua, your ignorance would be excusable if you were 10 years old. Hizbolla is a Lebanese Shia militia, they are Lebanese nationals. Syria is no longer present in Lebanon, but they certainly retain a good deal of influence. The people that agree to the right of a pre-emptive strike by Israel, would have to give the same right to another nation to have a pre-emptive strike against Israel. Ah! but they would argue that this is not fair and can not be, only Israel has the right to defend itself by whatever means necessary, the rest of the countries in the ME have only the right to be subservient and shut up when they are bombed.
All Israel's neighbours have a right to a pre-emptive strike against Israel,however, what is the chance of success. Also Israel will come out looking as the attaked party with right of retalation.If the above story is true then Israel is trying to destroy as much as possible of Syrian and Hezbollah armed forces strength to reduce danger in the north while Israel prepares to deal with Iran
Syria and Lebanon both sovereign states have the same right to pre emptive strikes. Let them try. They would at that point have made a game changer decision. It would be all out no holds barred fight. The Syrian air capability would be destroyed, infrastructure in downtown damascus would be gone same with lebanon in spite of Hizbullah. If nasrallah stated he could not have envisioned such a foreceful response from ISrael, imagine all out non restricted warfare against Sytria and Hizbullah. It would be their worst nightmare. All those hardened bunkers would make for nice mass graves for teh terrorists Assad would cease to have much of a country to rule over. Syrian citizens dont want this, but Assad is following tehrans script
we know it must be true right. It must be I mean why would they make something like this up. Its not like they profit from shocking news with no foundation, do they? Do they? say it aint so ha ha ha ha
Although this news is not reliable as Kuwaiti news agency has reported it, Israel must attack Hezbollah sites. This war is not against Syrian civilians but the terrorists living on their land.
Hezbollah is dangerous and must be taught a lesson. Syria is a sponsor of terrorism, if Israel attack Hezbollah depot in Syria it is because Syria is wrong for habouring Hezbollah in its territory. Therefore, there shoud not be a state within a state. Israel may be right to attack Hezbollah depot in Syria if Israel feels threatened by Hezbollah's weapons.
Syria is a sovereign state. If attacked war will result putting in motion a series of events from which Israel will be paying a dear price indeed.
i thought not
I thought not.
Brigadier General Matan Vilnai unveiled on the status of.Awesomeness have said."I did not understand with those who we fight,he said.This is part of recklessness "And recognized the military institution 'And recognized the military institution.What it said were "slap that we have received from Hezbollah lost power of deterrence"Revealed MK Ran Cohen, General reserves the."Level of political decisions taken in a hasty manner, without knowing who would go to fighting.How can the achievements." Cohen pointed out that "failures lies in the lack of knowledge of the military capabilities of Hezbollah's fighting you better think peace is much better for all its not the 60s or the 70s any more people they not gonna just there and let Israel do what ever they wanna do them days are over
I dont see the differents anymore between the Hezbollah and the IDF. So who is to get a lesson? But if Israel has the right to attack Hezbollah depots why don't the Hezbollah has the right to attack Israel? Thats why its better to talk.
This is non-sense. Syrian forces mobilized when Bushehr went online. Al-Rai is just trying to make Israel the aggressor and Syria a simple reactionary. Haaretz once again just picks up some unsubstantiated article from the Arab press and runs with it...
Either you are incredible naïve or you are plain evil.
Hizbolla is an illegal army in Lebanon,Syria the illegal conquerer . Hizbolla and Syria get out of Lebanon and return the country to its rightful owners the Lebanese . Off course The Obama led USA does not care about this fact that Lebanon de facto is a conquered country its too far intent in bending the weak Bibi . As far as attacking Hizbolla Israel could not even scare a mouse,
I agree that Hezbollah laughs at Israel, but that is only because it has beaten Israel on two occasions and sent fear through the ranks of the IDF in 2006; but it is far from illegal. 1701 allows for the Lebanese government to have any and all weapons and forces it desires to protect its sovereignty, and since it has recognized the Hezbollah militia as a legitimate resistance group, Hezbollah is now part of the Lebanese defense forces. Just think, had Israel simply abided by the UN Security Council Resolutions and unconditionally withdrawn its occupation forces from Lebanon in the 1980's as demanded, Hezbollah would have never been forced to form in order to drive Israel from Lebanese soil.
You are living in the realms of fantasy.
It calls for dismantling Hizbullah . But now that Hizbullah is part of teh government, all of Lebanon is a target rich environment. Do yuo really think that ISrael will give Hizbo a slap on teh wirst this time. So they got 40,000 rockets. They do not have enough launchers to use them at once. We live in interesting times. Besides Hizbo is looking for a war to distract the world from teh UN arrest warrants heading its way
Also every one knows It used force to advance it's goals by murders and that is why it is hated by all others in Lebanon. Soon it will be defeated.
Hezbollah is NOT part of the Lebanese army. Lebanese leaders are afraid to be assassinated if they try to shut them down (Remember Hariri?) Hezbollah did not win in 2006. They lost. The next time they will lose as well- only next round they will be decimated. Change your medication, Jeff.
"It calls for dismantling Hizbullah" Where, exactly? 1701 says - often - that there can be no weapons and no forces "except those authorized by the Lebanese government" i.e. all it takes is for the Lebanese govt to "authorize" Hezbollah to remain armed and 1701 says that's just fine and dandy.
America would do the same if Mexico were as nuts as Syria. Have at it!
israel is the true nuts and wormongering state that was created by Gangstern and Irgun terrorist groups.
This may be an attempt of Israel to deal with massive weaponary on it's Northern border,in light of a coming confrontation with Iran
The source doesn't make any senses. They say increased border forces but isn't the border already defended to the tooth and they talk about overfligths as it was something new, my impression is that it has been ongoing daily for very long time and is nothing new. So what is new in the situation?
I am not sure but, after the flotilla incident, Israel lost points on the world chart . Any wrong move from Israel at this delicate time will prove disastrous for the already tarnished image of Israel. I love Israel and I want to be in peace with everyone.
That the last thing she wants, is peace...
This "peace" that you talk about will Hamas recognize it, will Herzbolla recognize it, will Syria recognize it, will Iran recognize it. Will the other 30 million Muslims now love us. The only peace they want for us is the peace of the dead. Sorry Hakan I would rather take my chances on defending myself against your peace.
Were used and are being built to kill innocent civilians, any attack on them would justified, however it is unlikely Israel would attack so close to the peace talks..no reason to take the blame for the peace talk failures when Abbas is just around the corner to do it
Israel have to stop this primitive methods to get "peace"...
Here we go again .........where does all this bull come from
The Kuwaiti newspaper Al Rai, that's where.
The weaponary in these arms depots are as I type these words being dispersed into pre-prepared positions in retaliation for any Israeli attack on what will essentially be empty warehouses.
I'm afraid Chris (the convert) Linhtwit like Arabs so much he is starting to think like one..
If you were sat in Syria monitoring the haaretz website and it stated that Israel was preparing to destroy weapons stockpiles in Syria. Would you just shrug your shoulders and make a cup of tea. Or would you load the pallets onto trucks and dispers the munitions far and wide to make destroying them virtually impossible? In fact isn't that what Israel done with it's own stocks of munitions making them less vulnerable to rocket fire from Lebanon in the coming war?
It is obvious that Hezbollah can never attack Israel with more than knifes, but it can and may self-defend itself if it would be a non-state actor and the state of Lebanon of which it is an essential part. Like it or not, it would just make the world hate Israel more.
You said,"it is obvious that Hezbollah can never attack Israel with more than knives." Say. Were you in a state of acute Delirium when you wrote the above ? In 2006 Hezbolla launched thousands of rockets on Israel..The knives they use is to kill each other after Midnight.
Welcome to the conflict, well, first thing let me address you to the second Lebanon war where Hezbollah ambushed an IDF patrol team inside Israeli territory, killed several and kidnapped 2 bodies, leading to an all out war where thousands of missiles fell on Israeli population centers.