A “premeditated” attack, and a significant escalation of tensions. Iran is committed to destroying Israel; it may be preparing a larger strike now in service of that goal.
“IDF: Iranian troops fired missile at Israel as a warning against future attacks,” by Judah Ari Gross, Times of Israel, January 21, 2019:
The Israel Defense Forces on Monday said the missile that was intercepted over the Hermon ski resort the previous day was launched by Iran in a “premeditated” attack aimed at deterring Israel from conducting airstrikes against the Islamic Republic’s troops and proxies in Syria.
According to the Israeli military, the missile was an Iranian-made medium-range model that was fired from the outskirts of Damascus at approximately three in the afternoon. Conflicting reports emerged about the intended target of the missile, with some politicians claiming it was the Hermon ski resort and the IDF saying it could have been heading to either a civilian or a military area.
The attack came shortly after the IDF allegedly conducted a number of rare daylight airstrikes nearby.
In response to the missile attack from Syria, which was intercepted before it breached Israeli airspace, the Israeli military launched three waves of airstrikes that targeted first Iranian sites in and around Damascus, and then Syrian air defense batteries, which had fired on the Israeli fighter jets that had attacked earlier, the IDF said.
Israeli troops on Monday remained on high alert in the north. The Hermon ski resort was closed to visitors, but no other special safety instructions were given to residents of the area.
Trails left by the Iron Dome air defense system intercepting a Syrian projectile over Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights, on January 20, 2019. (Israel Defense Forces)Military spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said the three response sorties destroyed a number of Iranian intelligence sites, training bases and weapons caches, including one of the Islamic Republic’s largest depots near the Damascus International Airport, which triggered secondary explosions.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor reported that 11 pro-regime fighters were killed in the Israeli raids. Of those, according to Russia, at least four were Syrian military personnel, apparently killed in the strikes on the country’s air defenses.
On Monday morning, the IDF released video footage of its airstrikes on Syrian air defenses, including on social media.
According to Conricus, the Iranian retaliatory strike aimed at the northern Golan was “not a spur-of-the-moment” response, but had been planned months in advance, based on intelligence collected by the IDF.
“We understand that the Iranians are trying to change the context and deter us from our policy and our strategy of fighting Iranian troops in Syria,” Conricus said. “They thought they could change the rules of engagement. Our response was a rather clear one, with a message to Iran and Syria that our policies have not changed.”
He acknowledged that while the military believed it was planned in advance, the trigger for Sunday’s attack was likely the airstrikes reported moments before.
Israeli defense analysts attributed both Sunday’s alleged daylight airstrike and the large magnitude of the overnight bombings to an attempt by incoming IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi, whose tenure began last week, to demonstrate his willingness to use force against Iran in Syria….
Jay says
This is very unsettling. So glad Israel has such a magnificent military and Missile defense system!
And that PM Netanyahu is in charge! I remember, not that many years ago, Piglet Pelosi went to Demascus and said something to the effect -“the road to peace goes thru Damascus”. Could she have been more wrong or deluded ?? She should never be allowed to speak in public or travel representing the USA!
So glad her trip to the Middle East was just cancelled! She is an embarrassment to everything the USA stands for, as is the current progressive un-American Democratic Party!
God bless Israel. God bless the USA – and Pres Trump!
Trump 2020 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🙏🙏🙏
underbed cat says
Agree with Jay. Also note, Trump may have saved her life. But she will never acknowledge the dangers in her trots to the microphone, to complain about her cancelled trip to Afghanistan and demean Pres.Trump. The left press will offer no defense while our country is in the midst of an organized invasion, the target is U.S. economy, and to cause chaos and allow some dangerous settlements. The movement has been relentless since the 60”s. Trump 2020.
freedom says
Hmmmm.
Seeing that the region is becoming militarily hotter, it makes one wonder whether the recent withdrawal of US troops from Syria was a necessary precautionary measure for even hotter times ahead.
JM says
Two days sets of missiles launched against the “new and improved” Russian technology, and hopefully the Israeli engineers can decode, and thus thwart their anti aircraft/missile batteries on the next set of launches. Getting that Russian equipment to turn on and engage targets will prove the undoing of that new capability that is going to get toasted in the next several engagements. Once the US satellites and our ships and military units in the area have decoded the signalling from the Russian equipment, it will probably be passed or shared with Israeli sources so both countries can affect countermeasures to Russian defensive systems in Syria. Dumb Syria’s for firing these counter missiles – they fell into a dual baited attack. First Israeli retaliation for Iranian aggression and second capturing all the military signals and frequencies involved with those units that fired the missile. Really the key to defeating these particular missile batteries in a future engagement is to target the frequencies sources in that area as a match and home in with a rapid series of consecutive missiles fired at predetermined intervals against the units. But as a practical matter it might be better to engage these units a few more times before destroying them so the Russians can “learn” their systems are compromised (and get the Russian operators out of the units) as they watch their new toy’s destroyed in third world battle before it could be of use for the Russian homeland. Just gotta love it.
R Russell says
Getting closer to the time Jesus will return
Manuel 2 Paleologus says
When these evils will launch a major attack against Israel, then, the World War 3 will start and is gong to be ugly. Iran is the worse evil and Musobama did well to assist them by all means. He was ready to send 15 F-15 to the Muslim Brotherhood president.
gravenimage says
Iranian troops in Syria fire missile at Israel
………………….
I am not suprised.
And here are more threats against Israel from Iran:
“Iranian Air Force top dog: ‘Air Force ready and impatient to eliminate Zionist regime from the Earth’”
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2019/01/iranian-air-force-top-dog-air-force-ready-and-impatient-to-eliminate-zionist-regime-from-the-earth
Walter Sieruk says
Those poor brainwashed Muslims who are thoroughly mind programmed by the mullahs as well as influenced by that hate-filled ant-Jewish and anti- Israel ayatollahs and mullahs of Iran
Furthermore, those Brainwash Iranian /Muslim troops of Iran and likewise .Islamic terror entities the “mullah regime”‘as Hamas Hezbollah have with their jihadist scheming along those Muslim clerics in power in Iran with their intention of destroying the State of Israel and replacing her with some kind of Islamic “state” is an Islamic agenda that is fated to fail in the end. For all of such Muslim schemes and effort will come nothing in the end. The reason is that all their plots and striving against the State of Israel are all lose in the end .This is because those Mullahs and ayatollahs are greatly overruled by the God of the Bible. Who is the Supreme and Ultimate supporter of the State of Israel. This is reflected in the following verses of the Bible. “A man’s heart may be full of schemes, but the Lord‘s purpose will prevail.” Proverbs 19:21. [N.E.B.] Also, Psalm 135:4. further informs the reader that “The Lord has chosen Jacob to be His own and Israel His special treasure.”
Liz says
Bases on that Proverb is a Yiddish expression, “Man plans, G-d laughs.”