New missile attacks near Damascus area. Syria blames Israel
DAMASCUS, (BM) – The Syrian state news agency SANA claims that the Israeli military carried out airstrikes on targets near the airport of Damascus. No casualties or damage were reported. The air strikes took place late in the evening on March 16.
According to SANA reports, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has intercepted most of the missiles. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), ammunition depots have been hit. The warehouses were owned by Iranian militias that fought on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war.
Israel has no practice of confirming such actions. Thus, Tel Aviv does not deny but does not verify the news of Israeli strikes on Syrian territory. This passivity is the rule among the Israeli military and governments. Tel Aviv only confirms attacks, airstrikes, and military actions resulting from revenge after an Israeli territory attack.
A series of airstrikes
Since the beginning of 2021, Syria has suffered airstrikes in the area around Damascus and the airport there. Targets involving Iranian militias and pro-Iranian groups that support the Syrian president have been attacked.
Last month, the United States also struck in the area of the border between Syria and Iraq. Two US F-15s carried out an airstrike on Shiite groups accused of bombing Baghdad and a series of rocket attacks on military bases sheltering US and allied troops.
The airspace over Syria is closed. Only Russia has the right to use its planes and fighters. This ban is not a problem for either the United States or Israel, as missile attacks are carried out outside Syria. When Israel uses its fighters for airstrikes, it uses the airspace of neighboring Lebanon.
Why is Israel attacking areas in Syria?
We remind you that since the beginning of the civil war, Tehran has been trying to establish a permanent military presence in Syria. Tehran supports Hezbollah’sHezbollah’s military action. Israel claims that these actions by Iran and Hezbollah, backed by Bashar al-Assad’s government, are the main reason Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in the last decade.
The situation is almost similar to the “Israeli” cause of the airstrikes on Iraq’sIraq’s Syrian border areas. According to Israeli intelligence, Tehran is using these areas for arms transfers. Strange or not, but the Syrian media also confirms this news.
Very often, Israeli airstrikes on territories in Syria accompanies information from US military intelligence. It reveals to the Israelis mainly items in warehouses and depots and parts of pipelines used to store weapons.
Israeli-Iranian proxy war / cold war
Communication between Israel and Iran is mostly threatening and hostile. Such has been the relationship between the two countries for a very long time. This situation is known as the proxy conflict, the proxy war, or the Cold War between the two countries.
The conflict “appeared” on the world map after the Iranian revolution in 1979. In all the years to this day, Iran aims to destroy Israel as a state. Tehran supports groups and organizations that are hostile to the Jewish state and people. On the other hand, Israel is worried about Iran’sIran’s nuclear program. The proximity of the two countries worries Tel Aviv that Iranians could use them against Israel if Iran has nuclear weapons. Israel also finds its allies in the face of the United States and Saudi Arabia, which are apparent opponents of Iran.
Thus, this conflict gradually turned into an Israeli-Iranian war. The competition has been going on since the start of the Syrian civil war. According to Iran, Israel rules by an illegitimate “Zionist regime,” a Tehran problem. Iran’sIran’s other point of reference is that the United States is hostile to Muslims because it supports Israel.
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