Missiles and Threats Fly Over Syria, As Israel Responds to Syrian Mortar Fire

It’s been even more strained than usual these past few days in Syria, where the Assad regime on Sunday warned Israel of retaliation after Israeli jets targeted Syrian tanks in response to mortar shells from Syria landing on Israeli soil.

The regime accused Israel of bombing a Syrian army position “in a desperate attempt to support terrorist groups and raise their flagging morale.” That’s in line with claims of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies that Israel and the U.S. are clandestinely supporting “terrorists” among the rebel groups engaged in the Syrian conflict.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) action made clear that his country was “not willing to accept a trickle or spillover of fire from any front, and we will respond forcefully to any shooting at our territory.”

Two days before the Israeli action, Russian Navy vessels in the Mediterranean launched six cruise missiles at what the defense ministry said were Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS/ISIL) targets inside Syria, the latest use of advanced weaponry in an increasingly dangerous theater of war.

Although the Kalibr missiles purportedly hit terrorist positions, the show of strength was likely directed as much at the United States and the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition.

 

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