New Israeli airstrike hits research center near Damascus, Syria says

Sun May 5, 2013 4:2AM GMT

Syria has said that the Israeli regime has launched a new strike on the country, targeting a research center in a suburb of the capital, Damascus.

The Syrian state television said the Jamraya research center, located northwest of the capital, was the target of the Israeli missile attack. There have been no immediate reports of casualties.

The Jamraya research center was also targeted by an Israeli airstrike in January.

The Sunday attack came shortly after Tel Aviv confirmed on Friday that its warplanes had hit a “game-changing” target in Syria.

“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,” the Syrian state television said.

The Israeli attack “aims at loosening the noose around the terrorists in the eastern Ghouta” region, near Damascus, the state television added.

Tel Aviv has made no confirmation on the new Israeli strike. “We don’t respond to this kind of report,” an Israeli military spokeswoman said.

On Saturday, US President Barack Obama said the Israeli regime had the right to launch airstrikes on Syria.

“What I have said in the past and I continue to believe is that the Israelis justifiably have to guard against the transfer of advanced weaponry” to resistance movements like Hezbollah, Obama stated in an interview with the Spanish-language network Telemundo in San Jose, Costa Rica.

The turmoil in Syria began over two years ago, and many people, including large numbers of Syrian soldiers and security personnel, have been killed. The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country.

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad said in April that the situation in the country was improving as the army enjoys people’s support in the fight against terrorism.

DB/HSN

http://presstv.com/detail/2013/05/05/301840/israeli-launches-new-airstrike-on-syria/

Iran raps Israeli aggression on Syria, urges united stand against Tel Aviv

Sun May 5, 2013 7:53AM GMT

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast has condemned the Israeli military aggression against Syria, urging regional countries to stand up against Tel Aviv.

Mehmanparast on Sunday slammed the Israeli aggression and Tel Aviv’s attempts to create insecurity and instability in the region.

Calling for unity and solidarity among regional countries and their convergence against Israeli threats, Mehmanparast described as calculated Tel Aviv’s attacks against Damascus and the desecration of a revered site belonging to a Shia Muslim figure, Hujr ibn Adi, by the terrorists in Syria.


“The Zionist regime and its allies seek to create ethnic and religious discord among Muslim countries,” Mehmanparast said.

The Syrian state television reported on Sunday that Israel has attacked the Jamraya research center, located northwest of the capital, Damascus. The center had been targeted by another Israeli airstrike back in January.

The Sunday attack came shortly after Tel Aviv confirmed that its warplanes had hit another target in Syria on Friday.

Tel Aviv has made no confirmation on the latest Israeli strike. “We don’t respond to this kind of report,” an Israeli military spokeswoman said.

On Saturday, US President Barack Obama said the Israeli regime had the right to launch airstrikes on Syria.

The turmoil in Syria began over two years ago, and many people, including large numbers of Syrian soldiers and security personnel, have been killed. The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country.

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad said in April that the situation in the country was improving as the army enjoys popular support in the fight against terrorism.

MYA/HJL/HMV

http://presstv.com/detail/2013/05/05/301886/iran-slams-israeli-attacks-against-syria/

US supports Israeli airstrike on Syria

Sat May 4, 2013 11:22PM GMT

US President Barack Obama has said Israel has the right to launch airstrikes on Syria, one day after the Israeli regime's second airstrike on the country this year.


In an interview with the Spanish-language network Telemundo in San Jose, Costa Rica on Saturday, Obama stated that Israel has the right to protect itself from what he called advanced weapons shipments to Lebanon.

He said he would not comment on the veracity of the reports on the attack and would let the Israeli regime "confirm or deny whatever strikes that they've taken."


"What I have said in the past and I continue to believe is that the Israelis justifiably have to guard against the transfer of advanced weaponry” to resistance movements like Hezbollah, Obama stated.

"We coordinate closely with the Israelis, recognizing that they are very close to Syria, they are very close to Lebanon," he added.

Earlier, Israel confirmed it carried out an aerial attack on Syria on Friday, claiming it targeted a shipment of "game-changing" weapons.

The Lebanese military also stated that pairs of Israeli warplanes entered Lebanese airspace three times overnight.

On January 30, the Syrian Army issued a statement saying that two people were killed and five others injured in an Israeli airstrike on a research center in Jamraya, which is located about 25 kilometers northwest of Damascus.

The Syria crisis began in March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of soldiers and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.

In addition, several international human rights organizations have accused foreign-sponsored militants of committing war crimes.

MRS/HGL

http://presstv.com/detail/2013/05/04/301835/us-supports-israeli-airstrike-on-syria/

Its so sad that the syrians have their hands full.. So they can't turn their attention to israel.

Americans God go punish una.

They are trying to stop dangerous weapons getting into Lebanon from Syria. Hezzbollah are stocking weapons to fight Israel from the North.
There is nothing Syria can do due to internal war.

Israeli airstrikes hit Damascus military site, city's ariport - reports

Published time: May 05, 2013 00:02
Edited time: May 05, 2013 09:59

Strong blasts hit the outskirts of Syria’s capital early on Sunday, with reports saying that they were results of Israeli airstrikes on a military research center and Damascus Airport. Israel is thought to have carried out a similar attack days ago.

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.

The overnight Israeli strike reportedly targeted Iranian-supplied missiles to Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah, a Western intelligence source told Reuters. "In last night's attack, as in the previous one, what was attacked were stores of Fateh-110 missiles that were in transit from Iran to Hezbollah," the source said.

There have also been reports that the airstrikes targeted the 104th and 105th brigades of the Syrian Republican Guards, a source told RT Arabic.

A senior Israeli official confirmed to AFP that the Israeli airstrike on Syria was carried out near Damascus Airport overnight, targeting Iranian missiles destined for Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah movement.

"The attack was very close to the airport, the target was Iranian missiles which were destined for Hezbollah," he said.

Mount Qasioun and Damascus Airport are located in different parts of the city, so if both were targets of airstrikes, this would likely require a more complex coordinated attack.

Syrian TV accused Israel of being in alignment with rebel forces.

"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," the report said.

There are reports of gunfire shots heard in outskirts of Damascus, apparently indicating that some rebel groups tried to seize the opportunity and went into offensive amid the commotion caused by the airstrikes. However, no major breakthroughs on their part were reported.

Syria's Ministry of Health did not confirm if there were any deaths or injuries.

RT has managed to speak to local journalist Abdallah Mawazini, for a report on the latest developments.

“When the explosion happened in Damascus, all the houses were shaken. There was dust everywhere. Right now we’re receiving more information about the attack, which targeted the Jamraya military research center," he told RT. "Everyone woke up, most of the people ran downstairs – to make sure they are safe. Now we are getting more information. The sound of the explosion was heard everywhere in Damascus. People are scared.”

While no official casualty number has been made public, rumors on Syrian social media say that at least 300 soldiers stationed at Mount Qasioun have been killed and hundreds of others injured, Mawazini said. Many Syrians are calling for retaliation as the possibility of a full-scale war with Israel is speculated upon.

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. Two Israeli pilots of the downed IDF jet have been taken to a military area in Damascus under Assad’s control, according to reports in Lebanese and Syrian media.


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

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the security cabinet on Thursday night to approve the airstrike, a source told Reuters.

Israeli military has called up several thousand reservists earlier this week for what it called a "surprise" military exercise on its border with Lebanon, AP reported.

Earlier this week, the IDF deployed two Iron Dome batteries near the cities of Haifa and Safed in northern Israel, amid tensions along the border in that area.

“Until we get a clear picture of what exactly was targeted it’s difficult to speculate why the targeting took place. I’d say that the US gave Israel the green light for the previous attack in past months and reportedly gave them an OK to launch future strikes. So this probably isn’t something that happens on the spur of the moment,” news editor at antiwar.com Jason Ditz told RT.

“Of course, Syria is unlikely, being in the middle of a civil war, to launch much of retaliation against Israel directly, but at the same time this probably undermines some of the more Islamist factions in the Syrian rebels especially with reports that they are benefiting from these airstrikes,” he added.

In the meantime Netanyahu is leaving on Sunday afternoon for a five-day trip to China that will focus on economic ties and regional issues such as Iran, Syria and Egypt. His departure however was delayed by two hours to make room for a security cabinet meeting, according to Haaretz newspaper.

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 videos.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_j8ID-m1pU


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e84pVGsP6YU

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.

On Saturday, before Sunday’s overnight strike, US President Barack Obama stated that Israel has the right to defend against the transfer of advanced weapons to Hezbollah.

"I'll let the Israeli government confirm or deny whatever strikes that they've taken," Obama said in an interview with the Spanish-language network Telemundo.

Israel's 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."

Obama has also said in the past that the crossing of a ‘red line’ would warrant further action from outside. This was in relation to the possibility that Assad forces may have used chemical weapons against Syrians – a claim that is still being investigated, with no evidence so far.

Nonetheless, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced on Thursday that the US may now consider arming the Syrian opposition – something the US has shied away from openly doing in the two years since the start of the Syrian uprising.

Asked directly if the administration was reconsidering its position on that option, Hagel said "yes". "Arming the rebels — that's an option," he said. "We must continue to look at options."

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.

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

ZUBY77: They are trying to stop dangerous weapons getting into Lebanon from Syria. Hezzbollah are stocking weapons to fight Israel from the North.
There is nothing Syria can do due to internal war.

that is just the pretext Israel is using to excuse their aggression against a sovereign country,syria.hezbollah has long stockpiled sophisticated weapons,and the 2006 war the group fought against Israel is evident of that,as Hezbollah was able to withstand and repel Israel's attacks for 33 days,something four arab countries could not do and were defeated by Israel in just 6 days.

this entire war in Syria with the west supporting rebels and sending in alqaeda salafist/Wahhabi terrorists to topple the regime of assad,is to satisfy Israel.you could as well say that bashar al-assad is being targeted by the west and their cronies like Saudi Arabia and turkey,because assad supported Hezbollah and is allied to iran.there are also shia-sunni sectarian issues that makes opposition to assad attractive for Wahhabi Saudi Arabia and Qatar,both of which are dictatorships and have nothing to do with democracy.

it is therefore only evident that Israel is taking advantage of the situation within Syria to launch attacks and escalate the situation.in the last weeks,the Syrian army have been able to deal hard blows to alqaeda terrorists and the rebel "free Syrian army" group.israel and the west look worried,and therefore Israeli strikes would offer a morale boaster to the terrorists fighting the Syrian regime.otherwise,hezbollah (the Lebanese resistance movement) have lots of weapons and will continue to get them from iran through Syria,to protect Lebanon's territorial integrity against Israeli violations and occupation.the timing of the Israeli strikes is odd and sends a message that the foreign imposed war on Syria has failed,and the government has overcome the western backed Wahhabi terrorists.i just hope this would not escalate into a big war that would burn the middle east and send the world into chaos.russia,iran,and china,and Hezbollah in neighboring lebanon are taking the side of the Syrian regime,while the western countries,israel,turkey and the Wahhabi dictatorships of Qatar and Saudi Arabia are against the regime and supporting terrorists and rebels in Syria.

^^

that is just the pretext Israel is using to excuse their aggression against a sovereign country,syria.hezbollah has long stockpiled sophisticated weapons,and the 2006 war the group fought against Israel is evident of that,as Hezbollah was able to withstand and repel Israel's attacks for 33 days,something four arab countries could not do and were defeated by Israel in just 6 days.

I do not agree with your assertion here. Hezebollah might have sophisticated weapons, but it still does not have the capability to deter Israel or cause it huge harm. Gaining such capabilities from Syria will topple the balance of power and it is not in Israel's interest to see this happen. I think this is very Justified. If you are a country of 7 million, facing threat of complete annihilation from more than 600 million Arabs, you strike first and then ask questions later!

Israel does not have much to gain by toppling Assad and having the rebels take over Syria, as a matter of fact, the opposite will be the case. Assad, at least, has not directed any bitterly scathing demonstrations towards Israel since its peace accord several years ago.

Of all vocal supporters of the rebel groups, Israel has remained in a largely neutral position, which includes warning the west against arming the rebels. What Israel has however insisted on is the fact that it will not allow its enemies to gain access to first hand military materials that could eventually be used against its citizens. So long as this is met, Israel wouldn't give a f**k about who is killing who in Syria.

bookface is right.
Its all about the balance of power in the region.
Assad actually has no problem with the Jews.

bookface: ^^
I do not agree with your assertion here. Hezebollah might have sophisticated weapons, but it still does not have the capability to deter Israel or cause it huge harm. Gaining such capabilities from Syria will topple the balance of power and it is not in Israel's interest to see this happen. I think this is very Justified.

you are talking out of blind allegiance to your emotional support for Israel.

as for deterring Israel,since the 2006 Lebanon war Israel launched,and Hezbollah withstood after Hezbollah captured 2 Israeli soldiers and killed 8,israel have not attacked Lebanon.so Hezbollah have successfully been able to deter Israel from launching attacks on Lebanese soil.God knows that if this attack Israel conducted in Damascus today was carried out on Beirut,tel aviv would have been on fire by now.

since the end of the 2006 Lebanon war in which Hezbollah surprised Israel,israel have not launched "one" airstrike on Lebanese territory.that is a very painful fact that disturbs Israel,which throughout its history is used to making its neighbors feel humiliated by using them as a free playground in assasinations and bombings.so yes,so far Hezbollah has deterred Israel for almost 7 years,since Israel have not carried any attack on Lebanon.

If you are a country of 7 million, facing threat of complete annihilation from more than 600 million Arabs, you strike first and then ask questions later!

this statement is both wrong and biased.

Israel which you are referring to as a "country facing the threat of annihilation" was established on the ruins of an annihilated nation,the Palestinians.you sound so "humane" to care about the threat facing a criminal "country" established through annihilating another nation,but forget to remind yourself that "he who lives by the sword will die by the sword".

secondly,the perception that millions of arabs are ganging up against Israel is an old faded concept that is no longer in reality.the arab populations (a great percentage) might still be opposed to Israel,but the majority of arab countries are led by rulers who are mere American puppets unwilling to confront Israel,but even carrying out what is in Israel's interest.a good example is what is going on in Syria and Saudi Arabia and Qatar's involvement against the pro-iran and anti-Israel Syrian regime of bashar al-assad.

Israel does not have much to gain by toppling Assad and having the rebels take over Syria, as a matter of fact, the opposite will be the case. Assad, at least, has not directed any bitterly scathing demonstrations towards Israel since its peace accord several years ago.

you are very stupid for commenting here on what you're ignorant of and wasting my time.must you open your mouth and pour your fanatical opinions,when you're hallucinating or ignorant?

Syria does not have any peace accord with Israel up to this second.you wasted my time replying to you.

Syria and Lebanon remain the only countries actively opposed to Israel.syria is arming Hezbollah in Lebanon,which has been the most potent lethal force in repelling and containing Israel's aggression and occupation.israel wants to eliminate the potent threat with sophisticated weapons that the "axis of resistance"-namely Syria,iran and Hezbollah-represents in the middle east.

Of all vocal supporters of the rebel groups, Israel has remained in a largely neutral position, which includes warning the west against arming the rebels. What Israel has however insisted on is the fact that it will not allow its enemies to gain access to first hand military materials that could eventually be used against its citizens. So long as this is met, Israel wouldn't give a f**k about who is killing who in Syria.

Israel doesn't want the rebels to have sophisticated weapons,just as Israel is against Hezbollah and Syria (supported by iran) to have the upper hand and sophisticated weapons.so if under the guise of civil war Israel can eliminate the greater threat,they will.if the rebels win,then Syria would be in a weak position.and if the rebels misbehave,it would surely be easier for Israel to handle.

the war in Syria being fought by rebels/terrorists is war by proxy on behalf of Israel.

^^

If you cannot present your arguments without barfing on the forum, then i dare say you do not have a business being here nor discussing sensitive issues that are clearly above what your emotional intelligence can bear.

I don't give a shyt about Israel, and unlike you, I state my argument without necessarily choosing sides. Israel has got a powerful military, enough to deter its neighbours from attacking it. It is also committed to preserving this status quo, Is this fair? damn yes! If you don't like it, feel to hit your head on a wall and die

LoL @ Lebanon being able to deter Israel, despite the fact that Israeli jets roam freely in Lebanon's airspace without impunity or respect!

@onyeocha.
One can easily decipher your hatred towards Israel.
Israel is not entirely innocent when it comes to middle east conflicts but Israel cannot allow dangerous weapons in the hands of Hezbollah.
About the 2006 war,
Would it interest you to know that Israel moved about 60 km into the souther Lebanon and the border was redesigned in the ME map?

Throwing a few RPGs into Israel is not particularly my own idea of defeating or withstanding Israels attacks.
Israeli jets flew into Lebanon during the war and distributed white papers to warn civilians to leave some cities before bombing them.
Capturing two soldiers and capturing or killing hundreds of hezbollas are not the same.
My point is that Hezbolla cannot fight Israel. Combined team of Hezbolla and Syria cannot defeat Israel who boasts of United States as its number 1 ally.

I am not an Israeli fan but they have to defend themselves against Muslim neighbours who are interested in wiping them out of the ME map.

bookface: ^^

If you cannot present your arguments without barfing on the forum, then i dare say you do not have a business being here nor discussing sensitive issues that are clearly above what your emotional intelligence can bear.

I don't give a shyt about Israel, and unlike you, I state my argument without necessarily choosing sides. Israel has got a powerful military, enough to deter its neighbours from attacking it. It is also committed to preserving this status quo, Is this fair? damn yes! If you don't like it, feel to hit your head on a wall and die

LoL @ Lebanon being able to deter Israel, despite the fact that Israeli jets roam freely in Lebanon's airspace without impunity or respect!

so does Syria have a peace accord with Israel,yes or no? oloshi!

Lebanon as a small country on its own isn't able to deter Israel,backed by the US.lebanon's strength in deterring Israel lies in Hezbollah,which is backed by Syria and iran.israeli planes roam Lebanese air space,and Hezbollah have also sent reconnaissance drones into Israeli air space.theres nothing physically damaging about planes roaming your skies if they don't bomb you.besides,after the 2006 war Israel has speculated Hezbollah might possess advanced anti-aircraft,which Hezbollah hasn't confirmed or denied.that may just be another surprise awaiting Israel in any future war with Hezbollah against Lebanon.

ZUBY77: @onyeocha.
One can easily decipher your hatred towards Israel.
Israel is not entirely innocent when it comes to middle east conflicts but Israel cannot allow dangerous weapons in the hands of Hezbollah.

the fact is Hezbollah have long possessed and declared to possess sophisticated weapons.the Israeli city of Haifa was crippled by Hezbollah rockets in the 2006 Lebanon war.

Israel will keep hitting the Syrian army positions under the pretext it is attacking stockpiles of weapons destine for Hezbollah,while in fact Israel only intends to weaken Syria and give an upper hand to the terrorists fighting the Syrian government.

About the 2006 war,
Would it interest you to know that Israel moved about 60 km into the souther Lebanon and the border was redesigned in the ME map?

where did you read that?

can you show us the old and new map? please do.

Israel in the 2006 Lebanon was not able to occupy a single Lebanese village.a UN truce was brokered,and Israel still had to hold indirect negotiations for the Israeli soldiers Hezbollah captured,and conduct a prisoner exchange.it was the germans who acted as mediators,since the EU unlike the US does not regard Hezbollah "a terrorist organization" but a legitimate resistance movement with a political wing that represents the people of Lebanon in both parliament and government.

Throwing a few RPGs into Israel is not particularly my own idea of defeating or withstanding Israels attacks.
Israeli jets flew into Lebanon during the war and distributed white papers to warn civilians to leave some cities before bombing them.

ridiculous.

please go back and read about the 2006 Lebanon war.RPGs if launched from Lebanon cannot reach the Israeli port city of Haifa,israel's second largest city.

Israel defeated 4 arab armies in 6 days,but fought Hezbollah for 33 days and then agreed to a truce.how does that sound?will Israel accept a truce with Hezbollah after 33 days of war,if Israel was winning?

please don't talk in ridiculous ways,like "throwing few RPGs".it doesn't make sense.israel has air advantage yet Hezbollah's guerilla tactics withstood it.and Israel is speculating that after 2006,hezbollah has obtained advanced AA.

Capturing two soldiers and capturing or killing hundreds of hezbollas are not the same.

mumu,obviously you don't know what you are talking about.

the two soldiers were captured before the war started.

My point is that Hezbolla cannot fight Israel. Combined team of Hezbolla and Syria cannot defeat Israel who boasts of United States as its number 1 ally.

Hezbollah did in 2006.

I am not an Israeli fan but they have to defend themselves against Muslim neighbours who are interested in wiping them out of the ME map.

you are not an Israeli fan.it is obvious.israeli fans are usually expected to be smart,intelligent and able to spin propaganda based on twisting facts.you are a mumu Israeli fan,or rather a wannabe who thinks Jesus is from Israel.

@OP

Just out of curiosity, what exactly was your purpose of creating this thread? Were you just looking for people who will agree with you?

I don't get it. You created a thread to have a discussion on a global issue. People came in here, presented their arguments without insulting you and the best way you could respond is with insults? If you already have strong opinions and will rather not engage anyone with a differing opinion, why put up a thread?

I suggest people should just stop responding to this poster and let this thread die a natural death.

^ you are just rambling and calling names as if this war is your war.
If you cannot argue without cursing or calling names, i may be compelled to quit the thread.

Shock:

@OP

Just out of curiosity, what exactly was your purpose of creating this thread? Were you just looking for people who will agree with you?

I don't get it. You created a thread to have a discussion on a global issue. People came in here, presented their arguments without insulting you and the best way you could respond is with insults? If you already have strong opinions and will rather not engage anyone with a differing opinion, why put up a thread?

I suggest people should just stop responding to this poster and let this thread die a natural death.

the thread was put up to inform,in the event the Israeli provocation leads to retaliation against Israel.the bigots should not come here blaming the Syrians.often times Israel's bullying and aggression goes unreported and unnoticed,and if reported,a distorted version of events is given to suit the terrorist state.but when Israel faces the consequences of its actions,people all of a sudden show interest.

the thread was also put up for serious discussion with informed people who are educated and aware of current issues;not with someone who imagines Syria has a peace accord with Israel.i don't know where he got that from.at least if you don't know something,and you have different views I don't agree with,do not try to imagine or fabricate things.if you do,you wont only be exposedor laughed at,but you'd be disgraced.silly fanatics.

the trend in nairaland is for illiterates to express their views and talk BS.illterates are not welcome in my threads.

^^^^Lmao...

I somewhat agree with you, anyway..

Israel New-Haaretz Daily Newspaper:

19:45
Demand for gasmasks has quadrupled since the airstrike in Syria was reported (Haaretz)

18:28
Three-hour cabinet meeting on the heightened tensions along the Syrian border closes (Haaretz)


17:43
Egypt condemns alleged Israeli strikes in Syria (AP)


17:30
Airspace over northern Israel and Haifa area closed off to civilian flights (Haaretz)


17:17
Deputy DM: Israel is protecting its interests; does not confirm nor deny reports of attack (Haaretz)


16:46
Syrian information minister: Israeli aggression opens the door to all possibilities (Reuters)


15:52
Syrian sends complaint to UN over Israeli strike, saying it aimed to aid rebels (AP)


14:42
U.K.'s FM WIlliam Hague: Israel's right to defend itself must be protected (Haaretz)


14:40
Iran denies Iranian arms headed for Hezbollah were destroyed in Syria overnight strike (Haaretz)


13:47
Syria's deputy FM tells CNN: Israeli strike 'a declaration of war' (Haaretz)


13:34
Lebanon FM calls on Arab League to condemn 'repeated Israeli aggression' (Haaretz)


13:02
Defense Minister Ya'alon to serve as acting PM during Netanyahu's China visit (Haaretz)


12:39
Netanyahu to convene security cabinet Sunday afternoon (Haaretz)


11:30
IDF deploys two Iron Dome batteries in Safed and Haifa (Haaretz)


11:29
Netanyahu makes no comment of Syria strike in first public appearance since reports (Haaretz)


10:58
Home Front Command postpones nation-wide defense exercise due to reports of Syria strike (Haaretz)


10:45
Syria state TV: Israeli strike was a desperate attempt to raise the morale of the rebels (Haaretz)


09:17
Middle East intelligence official confirms second Israeli strike on Syria in 3 days (AP)


09:04
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef: Before Deri was jailed I promised him he would head Shas again (Haaretz)


07:35
Western intelligence sources say Israel overnight strike targeted Iranian missiles (Haaretz)


05:59
British parliament member arrested on suspicion of raping two men (Ch. 10)


03:04
Large explosions in Damascus, Syrian sources claim it is an Israeli airstrike (Army Radio)


02:58
Large explosions shake Damascus, State TV says military research center attacked (Reuters)

Onyocha:

the thread was put up to inform,in the event the Israeli provocation leads to retaliation against Israel.the bigots should not come here blaming the Syrians.often times Israel's bullying and aggression goes unreported and unnoticed,and if reported,a distorted version of events is given to suit the terrorist state.but when Israel faces the consequences of its actions,people all of a sudden show interest.

the thread was also put up for serious discussion with informed people who are educated and aware of current issues;not with someone who imagines Syria has a peace accord with Israel.i don't know where he got that from.at least if you don't know something,and you have different views I don't agree with,do not try to imagine or fabricate things.if you do,you wont only be exposedor laughed at,but you'd be disgraced.silly fanatics.

the trend in nairaland is for illiterates to express their views and talk BS.illterates are not welcome in my threads.

Hubris !!!

It seems Israel has bitten more than it can chew this time...

I'll just keep my fingers crossed..

Israel declares state of alert after allegedly launching two airstrikes on Syria - report

Published time: May 05, 2013 15:27
Edited time: May 05, 2013 17:48

Israel has declared a state of alert on its embassies, consulates, and missions around the world after reportedly launching two airstrikes on Syria, Al-Mayadeen reported. The IDF has deployed a rocket defense system in the north of the country.

The airspace over northern Israel and Haifa area are also said to be closed off to civilian flights.


The only reaction came from a military official, who said it moved two Iron Dome batteries on Sunday as part of "ongoing situational assessments," AP reports.

The deployment came several hours after Israel carried out what is believed an airstrike in Damascus that attacked a shipment of Iranian-made missiles bound for Hezbollah.

Shortly after that Lebanon’s TV Al-Mayadeen reported that Syria pointed missile batteries at Israel.

The Israeli Defense Forces allegedly carried out a second consecutive strike on targets within Syria’s territory. The aim was reportedly Fateh-110 missiles Israeli sources said were meant for Lebanon’s Hezbollah, considered as a terrorist group by Tel Aviv.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didn’t mention the fact of the strike or Iron Dome deployment directly at a public appearance on Sunday, but spoke pointedly about a commitment to keeping Israel secure.

"[My father] taught me that the greatest responsibility we have is to ensure Israel's security and guarantee its future," he said.

Soon after that Haaretz reported that the airspace over the country's north as well as Haifa area are closed off to civilian flights. The ban is expected to hold till Thursday at least.

Public bomb shelters in the city would not be opened on Sunday in order to avoid fear-mongering, Israeli media report, citing Mayor Nissim Malka.

Earlier this week, the IDF already deployed two Iron Dome batteries near the cities of Haifa and Safed in the north of the country.

The defense system protects against short-range rockets; during Operation Pillar of Defense in November 2012 it was said to have intercepted over 80 per cent of the incoming rockets from Gaza.

Back in January, the IDF took similar deploying actions – just several days before another alleged airstrike on a weapons convoy in Syria which reportedly headed for Hezbollah. Israel never publicly admitted they were behind the strike.

Israel claimed many times it wants to stay out of the Syrian war, but Netanyahu and other top officials has been repeatedly saying that the Jewish state would be prepared to take military action to prevent sophisticated weapons from flowing from Syria to Hezbollah or other extremist groups.

Technically, Israel and Syria have been at war since Israel captured Golan Heights territories from Syria in the Six-Day War in 1967. In 1981, the Israeli Knesset passed the ‘Golan Heights Law’, which unilaterally proclaimed Israel's sovereignty over the territory. The annexation was condemned by the United Nations Security Council in UN Resolution 497 of December 17, 1981.

http://rt.com/news/israel-syria-iron-dome-844/

Onyocha:

the thread was put up to inform,in the event the Israeli provocation leads to retaliation against Israel.the bigots should not come here blaming the Syrians.often times Israel's bullying and aggression goes unreported and unnoticed,and if reported,a distorted version of events is given to suit the terrorist state.but when Israel faces the consequences of its actions,people all of a sudden show interest.

the thread was also put up for serious discussion with informed people who are educated and aware of current issues;not with someone who imagines Syria has a peace accord with Israel.i don't know where he got that from.at least if you don't know something,and you have different views I don't agree with,do not try to imagine or fabricate things.if you do,you wont only be exposedor laughed at,but you'd be disgraced.silly fanatics.

the trend in nairaland is for illiterates to express their views and talk BS.illterates are not welcome in my threads.

Litterate people usually put 'space' after each 'comma'. Eg Onyocha is an illiterate, do you agree?.

Did you notice the space there? It makes reading very easy. Thanks.

Israeli attacks opened door to all possibilities: Syria

Sun May 5, 2013 3:38PM GMT

[img]http://previous.presstv.ir/photo/20130505/esmaeeli20130505151702557.jpg[/img]
Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi (file photo)

Syria has described the recent Israeli aggression against its territory as a "flagrant violation of international law," adding that the attacks have opened the door "to all possibilities."

Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi, told reporters following an emergency government meeting on Sunday that "Syria has the right and the duty to defend its people by all available means" and that Syria will not give in to Israeli aggression.

He stated that the Israeli attacks against Syria have made the Middle East "more dangerous."

Zohbi also stressed that Israeli strikes are evidence of Tel Aviv's links with militants fighting against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Earlier, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said in separate letters to the United Nations and the Security Council that Israeli strikes on Syria show Tel Aviv's coordination with terrorist groups operating in Syria, including al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front.

Israeli warplanes hit several targets near the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Sunday, Israel's second strike on Syria in three days.

According to Syrian media reports, Israeli rockets hit the Jamraya Research Center in Damascus countryside, causing casualties and widespread damage.

It is the second time that Israeli rockets hit the Jamraya Research Center. The facility was first hit in an Israeli airstrike in January.

Iran, Egypt and the Arab League have condemned the recent Israeli aggression against Syria with Arab League calling on the United Nation Security Council to "act immediately to end Israeli attacks on Syria."

HM/PR/SS

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/05/05/301957/israel-attacks-opened-up-all-possibilities/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hs3C7McOnI

ZUBY77:

Litterate people usually put 'space' after each 'coma'. Eg Onyocha is an illiterate, do you agree?.

Did you notice the space there? It makes reading very easy. Thanks.

Lmao
Don't be too hard.
He is at war with Israel so a 'comma' might slow his pace down

That was how Iraqi FM shouted against US invasion.

Ask the Syrians who is occupying Golan heights?

A 1800 square km area of land.
Noise makers. Thats bigger than lagos state times 2
There must be a balance of power in the ME.

Onyocha: Israeli attacks opened door to all possibilities: Syria

Sun May 5, 2013 3:38PM GMT

[img]http://previous.presstv.ir/photo/20130505/esmaeeli20130505151702557.jpg[/img]
Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi (file photo)

Syria has described the recent Israeli aggression against its territory as a "flagrant violation of international law," adding that the attacks have opened the door "to all possibilities."

Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi, told reporters following an emergency government meeting on Sunday that "Syria has the right and the duty to defend its people by all available means" and that Syria will not give in to Israeli aggression.

He stated that the Israeli attacks against Syria have made the Middle East "more dangerous."

Zohbi also stressed that Israeli strikes are evidence of Tel Aviv's links with militants fighting against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Earlier, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said in separate letters to the United Nations and the Security Council that Israeli strikes on Syria show Tel Aviv's coordination with terrorist groups operating in Syria, including al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front.

Israeli warplanes hit several targets near the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Sunday, Israel's second strike on Syria in three days.

According to Syrian media reports, Israeli rockets hit the Jamraya Research Center in Damascus countryside, causing casualties and widespread damage.

It is the second time that Israeli rockets hit the Jamraya Research Center. The facility was first hit in an Israeli airstrike in January.

Iran, Egypt and the Arab League have condemned the recent Israeli aggression against Syria with Arab League calling on the United Nation Security Council to "act immediately to end Israeli attacks on Syria."

HM/PR/SS

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/05/05/301957/israel-attacks-opened-up-all-possibilities/

What possibilities?

Its time to know who the cowards really are. Israel has launched an offensive and defended the course of its actions. Let those who are not pleased with it rise and roll the drums. . .

You use chemical weapons on your own subjects and murder them in hundreds daily.
If israel. . .though having its own interest in mind (balance of power perhaps) considers it appropraite to send those bombs down on Syria, whether its the Herzbollah weapons they are attacking or not. . .everyone who knows will admit it does aid the rebels and likewise weakens the Assad government.

If weakening the Assad government is what would put a check on this preposterous use of chemical weapons on innocent syrian children and citizens them I am behind the Isreali government in this.

But it must be noted that since Israel has not admitted to 'bombing syria' but only stated they were putting a check on herzbollah, then it leaves the situation very dicey at the moment.


So what possibilities is Assad talking about?
Let him bring them on!!

breezy047:

What possibilities?

Its time to know who the cowards really are. Israel has launched an offensive and defended the course of its actions. Let those who are not pleased with it rise and roll the drums. . .

You use chemical weapons on your own subjects and murder them in hundreds daily.
If israel. . .though having its own interest in mind (balance of power perhaps) considers it appropraite to send those bombs down on Syria, whether its the Herzbollah weapons they are attacking or not. . .everyone who knows will admit it does aid the rebels and likewise weakens the Assad government.

If weakening the Assad government is what would put a check on this preposterous use of chemical weapons on innocent syrian children and citizens them I am behind the Isreali government in this.

But it must be noted that since Israel has not admitted to 'bombing syria' but only stated they were putting a check on herzbollah, then it leaves the situation very dicey at the moment.


So what possibilities is Assad talking about?
Let him bring them on!!

stu.pid kid,

you are free to express your opinion and you wont be challenged or bothered for what you choose to support or defend.

but for you to take others for granted and use imaginations to back the gibberish you say,would not be tolerated in my threads,as that amounts to derailing my thread.

the west have been speculating about 2 weeks ago on the use of chemical weapons in Syria,without stating who,when and where it was used.the western countries themselves admitted they had no tangible evidence to back their suspicion.now semi-literates with access to the internet,who are devoid of reasons and excuses to provide in their blind support for Israel's terrorism,come up here weeks later to say the government has used weapons against the people as an excuse for Israel's barbarism.israel is supporting rebels against the government,while the Syrian government continues to triumph over the terrorists and survives with the support of the majority of Syrians.

Israel has violated international law by attacking a sovereign nation.whatever excuse you put up to back the terror Zionist cell called Israel is based on your wet-dreams.decease from derailing my thread,or else you'd continue to be disgraced for being a silly kid.

Onyocha:

stu.pid kid,

you are free to express your opinion and you wont be challenged or bothered for what you choose to support or defend.

but for you to take others for granted and use imaginations to back the gibberish you say,would not be tolerated in my threads,as that amounts to derailing my thread.

the west have been speculating about 2 weeks ago on the use of chemical weapons in Syria,without stating who,when and where it was used.the western countries themselves admitted they had no tangible evidence to back their suspicion.now semi-literates with access to the internet,who are devoid of reasons and excuses to provide in their blind support for Israel's terrorism,come up here weeks later to say the government has used weapons against the people as an excuse for Israel's barbarism.israel is supporting rebels against the government,while the Syrian government continues to triumph over the terrorists and survives with the support of the majority of Syrians.

Israel has violated international law by attacking a sovereign nation.whatever excuse you put up to back the terror Zionist cell called Israel is based on your wet-dreams.decease from derailing my thread,or else you'd continue to be disgraced for being a silly kid.

You know, We can actually see your points if you quit insulting people with different views and opinions.

This is a public forum and there is nothing like 'my thread' here.

We know about Israel, Syria, Lebanon etc. The reality as of now is that Israel is in the middle East not Africa or Europe. The Arabs will wipe them out if they dont defend themselves.

Syria, Iran, Hezbollah and others cannot wipe Israel out or even defeat Israel. Do you know why?
There is a mighty giant called United States that stands behind Israel.
This USA is not a friend of Iran or Syria.
This USA will strike anyone who strikes Israel.
Have you imagined what middle east will become without the presense of Israel or west...naaaaaaaaaa. It would be a terrorist sub continent and the world dont need that.

ZUBY77:

You know, We can actually see your points if you quit insulting people with different views and opinions.

This is a public forum and there is nothing like 'my thread' here.

I am not insulting anyone.if you are not sure of what you are saying,do not speculate and keep speculating and repeating what you are not sure of.that is lying knowingly or not.

this is a public forum and you are free to express your views.but lying, knowingly or not, would not go free without been treated accordingly.

We know about Israel, Syria, Lebanon etc. The reality as of now is that Israel is in the middle East not Africa or Europe. The Arabs will wipe them out if they dont defend themselves.

so you are practicing here "pre-emptive excuse/lying" just as Israel carries out "pre-emptive" aggression.you are simply saying if Israel does not "wipe" them out,they would wipe Israel out.israel so far has been the party that has wiped out the Palestinians.so in the light of that,wiping (Israel) out becomes the Israeli phobia.israel knows what it has done.zionists from Europe and elsewhere invaded an entire land and made it exclusively jewish at the expense of all others who have lived in that land for thousands of years.

Syria, Iran, Hezbollah and others cannot wipe Israel out or even defeat Israel. Do you know why?
There is a mighty giant called United States that stands behind Israel.
This USA is not a friend of Iran or Syria.
This USA will strike anyone who strikes Israel.

the fact is the USA cannot afford to be in the middle east for long.they quickly withdrew from Iraq while they barely control Kabul in Afghanistan,while they are not controlling most of the other parts of Afghanistan.

no one has threatened to wipe Israel out.what is rational is for the jews,muslims and Christians who belong to Palestine to live together as one as they have always done before the Zionists decided to take the entire land and make it exclusively jewish and called it a "jewish state" with the use of force.

Have you imagined what middle east will become without the presense of Israel or west...naaaaaaaaaa. It would be a terrorist sub continent and the world dont need that.

you are ridiculous.before the establishment of Israel,no muslim have previously carried out a suicide attack.that is a fact.

all muslim countries are opposed to alqaeda and muslim governments don't think twice before dealing mercilessly with alqaeda.what is ironic in your blind statement is the fact that the united states and the west with their Wahhabi allies in Saudi Arabia and Qatar,and turkey are sending in alqaeda Wahhabi terrorists into Syria to topple a legitimate government.the Nusra front is an alqaeda cell in Syria that is been supported to fight the Syrian government.in Afghanistan,it was America that created alqaeda and made the terrorist bin laden to fight the soviet union.it seems muslims are only terrorists when they target America and Israel,regardless who among them does and for what reasons.but when muslims align themselves to the aspirations and interests of the US and Israel,regardless if they use terror as a means to their ends,they are not regarded as terrorists.

the Syrian government is secular and nationalistic.it has nothing to do with alqaeda.it supports Hezbollah (a Shia Islamist movement) against Israeli occupation,as part of arab nationalism and liberating arab land from occupation.that has nothing to do with terrorism or alqaeda Wahhabi terrorists who kill people for not being Wahhabis,like by bombing churches and shia mosques.you need to stop being silly.you still have the gut to complain i'm insulting you because you are used to confidently expressing ignorance and being opinionated to mislead others like you.

‘Israel used depleted uranium shells in air strike’ – Syrian source

Published time: May 05, 2013 19:08


Video still of Hezbollah TV's footage claiming to show the aftermath of an alleged Israeli airstrike on a military facility near Damascus, on May 5 2013

Israel used "a new type of weapon", a senior official at the Syrian military facility that came under attack from the Israeli Air Force told RT.

“When the explosion happened it felt like an earthquake,” said the source, who was present near the attack site on the outskirts of Damascus on Sunday morning.

“Then a giant golden mushroom of fire appeared. This tells us that Israel used depleted uranium shells.”

Depleted uranium is a by-product of the uranium enrichment process that creates nuclear weapons, and was first used by the US in the Gulf conflict of 1991. Unlike the radioactive materials used in nuclear weapons, depleted uranium is not valued for its explosiveness, but for its toughness – it is 2.5 times as dense as steel – which allows it to penetrate heavy protection.

Countries using depleted uranium weapons insist that the material is toxic, but not dangerously radioactive, as long as it remains outside the body.

The source also claims the attack – if it managed to hit the objects it targeted – served more of a political than a military purpose.

“Several civilian factories and buildings were destroyed. The target was just an ordinary weapons warehouse. The bombing is an ultimatum to us – it had no strategic motivation.”

Western intelligence sources told the media that the strikes targeted transfers of weapons from the Lebanese Hezbollah movement, which is sympathetic to the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The official who spoke to RT denies this.

“There was no valuable equipment at the site. It was all removed after a previous attack on the facility. The military losses from this are negligible.”

http://rt.com/news/syria-israel-uranium-air-strike-847/