Posted on 09/11/2007 7:18:21 PM PDT by blam
US confirms Israeli air strike on Syria
By Tim Butcher in Tel Aviv
Last Updated: 2:26am BST 12/09/2007
A US official has confirmed that Israeli warplanes carried out an air strike "deep inside" Syria, escalating tensions between the two countries.
The target of the strike last Thursday remained unclear but Israeli media reported that a shipment of Iranian arms crossing Syria for use by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon was attacked.
Israeli army Merkeva tanks on the Golan Heights
Syria first reported the incident on the day, saying its air defences had engaged five Israeli planes, but did not say what their target was. Israel remained uncharacteristically silent, pointedly refusing to deny that its warplanes were involved in an operation. The closest it came to acknowledging the affair happened was when it made an undertaking to Turkey to investigate how an Israeli long-range fuel tank was dropped on Turkish territory near the Syrian border.
Another theory gaining ground yesterday was that Israel was deliberately attacking the Russian-made Pantsyr air defence system recently bought by Damascus. The sale includes provision for the Pantsyr system to be shipped on to Iran and it is possible the Israeli attack was co-ordinated with America to probe the effectiveness of the system. It is believed that Iran would use the Pantsyr system to defend its nuclear facilities.
Syria has sought to keep the incident in the public arena, saying yesterday that it had complained formally to the United Nations, accusing Israel of unjustified aggression.
Syria and Israel have fought major wars on three occasions, in 1948, 1967 and 1973, as well as numerous other skirmishes. The two nations remain formally at war although an uneasy calm has largely held for the past three decades. Meanwhile, Israel was contemplating a retaliatory strike on Gaza last night after a Palestinian qassam rocket injured 69 of its soldiers, five seriously, at the Zikim army base. Many of the Israelis were hit by shrapnel as they slept under canvas.
While the rocket was fired by members of the Islamic Jihad party, Israel said it would hold Hamas accountable because the group is the main authority in the Gaza strip since it drove out its Fatah rivals in June.
The Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, convened an emergency meeting yesterday with military and security commanders to discuss a response to the attack.
God bless the Israelis. Surrounded by enemies in every border and Israel dishes out uncommon valor that is much needed in these times.
Now... finish the job, and move on to Iran.
That was my take on his comments as well.
LOL @ “Mr Paulestine”
The ball is now in Syria’s court. Wonder what will happen next.
From your mouth to Gods ears~
I don’t know what will happen next.
I’m absolsutely, certain, however, that prayer will have a huge part to play in whatever that is.
Ah, so the airstrike was confirmed.
All I know is, the Bible says Damascus will be uninhabital. I think that means forever.
I just know I won’t be going there or making any investiments. :)
Good for Israel!
Oh, and BTW, GOOOOOOOOOOOO Baby. :)
I pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
I read these threads and wonder if there are any Freepers born between 1930 and 1965 and not carrying an agenda. Agenda-less persons between the age of 42 and 77 should be more informed than most participants on these threads. It would be in every persons best interest to get a copy of the new book "The Israel Lobby" by Mearsheimer and Walt. It came out Monday or Tuesday and is a very informed view of the situation.
I haven’t read the book. Thank you for your endorsement.
Much to my dismay, I can tell you, most high schoolers can’t tell you where Kansas is. I say MOST, perhaps unfairly, because I took a poll, much like our media does, and asked 5-10 teenagers in NYC where they thought Kansas was located. They said IRAQ. Believe it or not. :)
If only they will take off the gloves and fight to win. Forget what the world MSM says, those who hate them can’t hate them any more than they already hate them.
I really think the best way to deal with the (in their own minds) is with their sponsors. Boycott what they are selling and tell them so. If it’s true, it’s all about money, then make them pay for the garbage they sell to the world about us.
Because our media promotes Brittney Spears, et al, the entire world thinks that’s what WE care about. I don’t spend one moment thinking about OR buying anything Hollywood promotes or produces. IF we’d STOP buying, THEY would listen!
Unfortunatly, for those not in the know, Google Earth satalite photos can be anywhere from several days to many years old. Many of there photos are simply in the public domain now, and of know real use to any one for comercial use.
Thats why many images are very low resolution, there of no real use to anyone so know private party is going to pay for hires photos.
The fact that photos of the Steve Fosset posible crash area are new is because someone had an interest and I’m quite sure they were not cheap.
Exactly...
For those that care, the Pantsyr-S1 system (also known as the SA-22) is actually kind of interesting. It’s a self contained low-altitude specialized air defense system/area defense system mounted on the back of a large military truck. It combines two six-packs of surface to air missiles with twin 30mm chain guns for use against air or surface targets, all guided by a radar system useful against surface and air targets. Fairly nasty little system - and they can operate in datalinked packs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantsyr-S1
This thing is (at least on paper) capable of doubling as a CIWS protective system, and should theoretically be capable of shooting down incoming missiles. It may be capable of nailing a stealth fighter at close range, and it’s going to be hell on wheels for helicopters or unwary ground attack aircraft.
The bad news for it is that like most latest generation Russian SAM systems, they’ve traded range for speed again, and the missiles have a max range of about 20 kilometers or so. The limited munitions supply (12 missiles, 750 rounds per gun) means that launching a swarm of AGM-88 HARM missiles from a standoff distance (max range of 150 kilometers) will quickly saturate even a six unit network of these things. If nothing else, it will force them to fire all of their ammo to knock down the threat.
In addition, like many Russian systems, this has a hard floor of 5 meters. If your helicopter is below that, the missiles can’t “see” you.
That said, I still wouldn’t want to be within detection range of the thing. Though, interestingly, while it can *see* a B-52 at service ceiling, it can’t actually hit it - doesn’t have the altitude capability.
1 An oracle concerning Damascus: "See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins.
Prophecy in action..... :)
They are wrong of course, it's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". Toto told me.
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