RT reportage on Israel's undeclared war on Syria

RT is finally playing catch-up after the Netanyahu-Putin meeting and Israeli undeclared war on Syria. What is missing here is the context.

Israel launches massive missile strikes in Syria

RT,

9 May, 2018

Syrian air defenses have been deployed to thwart an attack by the Israeli rockets, Syria’s state SANA news agency reported. The bombing is reportedly being carried out by Israeli warplanes from Lebanese airspace.

Syrian air defenses have been engaging missiles that Israeli warplanes are launching from outside the country's territory, SANA reported on Thursday. The bombardment appears to have been going on for hours, with the first missile strikes reported at about 1:30 am Damascus time on Thursday (22:30 GMT).

Early Thursday morning, IDF spokesman Avichay Adraee confirmed that the Israeli army was continuing to hit “Iranian targets” in Syria, warning that any retaliation by Syrian forces would be met with “extreme seriousness.”

SANA has released footage of Syrian air defense systems responding to incoming missiles.

The Israeli strikes are seen as a continued retaliation to what Israel claims were some 20 rockets launched by Iran’s Quds Force from Syrian territory into the Israeli-occupied part of the Golan Heights earlier in the night. The Israel Defense Forces said its Iron Dome systems intercepted some of the projectiles and the reported attack resulted in no injuries.

An Israeli tank in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights © Amir CohenIsrael-Syria cross-border strikes reported in occupied Golan Heights

Around the same time, Syria’s state media reported that Israel shelled the city of Baath in the northern Quneitra governorate.

Tensions were ramped up in the region after US President Donald Trump announced his country’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, a fierce critic of the accord, hailed the decision, which drew sharp condemnation from Europe, Rusia, China and other non-signatory countries. A day after Trump reneged on the internationally acclaimed agreement, Israel hit a Syrian army position in the Kisweh area south of Damascus.

Israel has been claiming that Iran is setting up bases of operations in Syria in order to stage attacks against the Jewish state. It has launched numerous air strikes against Syrian government-controlled territories, targeting alleged Iranian positions.

The Golan Heights in southwestern Syria have been occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967 and are internationally recognized as a Syrian territory.

Israeli missiles hit Syrian radar, air defense sites – state media

RT,

10 May, 2-18

Some of the missiles Israel launched into Syrian territory have broken through the defenses deployed by Damascus and hit radar and air defense positions, state media outlet SANA said, citing a military source.

The missile barrage, reportedly launched by Israeli warplanes from outside Syrian territory, took place late Wednesday evening into early Thursday morning and targeted areas in the Quneitra and Homs areas near Damascus. Syrian air defense systems responded and shot down "tens" of incoming missiles, according to SANA.

"Some of them managed to target a number of air defense (positions), radar and an ammunition depot," the source cited by SANA said.

Videos posted online by locals appear to show flashes from air defense missiles visible from the capital.

The Israeli army said it was attacking "Iranian targets" inside Syria. It earlier said its positions in the occupied part of the Golan Heights were targeted by some 20 missiles launched by "Iranian forces" from the Syrian-controlled part. At about the same time, Syrian media reported Israeli shells hitting the country's territory. Neither of those attacks resulted in any casualties, according to official sources.

Israel has been claiming that Iran is setting up bases of operations in Syria in order to stage attacks against the Jewish state. It has launched numerous air strikes against Syrian government-controlled territories, targeting alleged Iranian positions.

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