This past weekend’s IDF attack on targets near Damascus International Airport has pushed the two countries closer to war. With each passing incident of what has become almost daily Israeli attacks on Syria, a very real possibility exists of a wider war breaking out between the two countries.
In its bid to weaken Syria’s own defenses against IDF regional hegemony – and also to keep Syria’s main airport from being open for international travel, Israel has launched repeated unprovoked attacks on Damascus. Israel has repeatedly claimed that such attacks are done in order to “defend itself against Iran and Hezbollah,” when in fact no proof has ever been presented to validate these perennial claims made by Tel Aviv. But Tel Aviv is getting more reckless in its behaviour. During its recent Christmas Day attack on Damascus, it was revealed how the IDF had used two innocent passenger airliners as cover in order to fire 16 laser-guided GBU-39 bombs at targets near Damascus. The passenger planes were preparing for their landings into both Beirut and Damascus airports. In another earlier incident, the IDF cynically used a Russian communications plane as cover for an airstrike which resulted in the downing of a Russian military aircraft and the deaths of 14 servicemen over Latakia, Syria.
As a result of these and hundreds of other illegal Israel attacks against Syria, the diplomatic delegation from Damascus is now putting the issue to the UN, and the UN Security Council. If this issue cannot be resolved diplomatically, then the region, and the world, could face a dangerous escalation of hostilities across the wider Middle East including Iran – an event which is sure to drag with it the full might of the US military along with it.
Has Damascus thrown down the gauntlet to Tel Aviv?
RT International reports…
Damascus has threatened to exercise its legitimate right for self-defense against Israeli aggression and target Tel Aviv airport in a mirror response, unless the Security Council puts an end to IDF intrusions into Syrian airspace.
Apparently fed up with years of Israeli impunity in the Syrian skies and regular strikes carried out in the vicinity of Damascus International Airport, Syria has threatened to retaliate in explicit terms.
“Isn’t time now for the UN Security Council to stop the Israeli repeated aggressions on the Syrian Arab Republic territories?” Syria’s permanent representative to the UN, Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari wondered Tuesday.
Or is it required to draw the attention of the war-makers in this Council by exercising our legitimate right to defend ourself and respond to the Israeli aggression on Damascus International Civil Airport in the same way on Tel Aviv Airport?
Air strikes against alleged ‘Iranian targets’ in close proximity to Syria’s busiest airport have become a norm for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), whose former chief of staff openly confessed last month to running a large-scale bombing campaign in Syria for years. Besides causing casualties and material damage by their “near-daily” strikes, Israeli combat missions into Syria have also repeatedly endangered flights operating over the conflict-torn country.
While the IDF rarely acknowledges striking specific targets in Syria, the Russian military has been keeping a close watch on IDF maneuvers over the Arab Republic. On Christmas Day, Israeli jets endangered two civilian aircraft while engaging targets in Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry said, noting that the IDF F-16s flew in as civilian jets were landing at Beirut and Damascus airports. In September, Israeli actions resulted in the death of 15 Russian servicemen after Israeli jets deliberately used Russian Il-20 recon plane as a cover and placed it into the path of a Syrian air defense missile.
Urging the UN Security Council to adopt measures to stop such blatant violations of Syrian sovereignty by the Jewish state, Jaafari accused France, Britain and the US – all permanent members of the world body – of endorsing Israeli aggression in breach of their responsibility to “maintain international peace and security in accordance with international law.”
Continue this story at RT International
READ MORE SYRIA NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Syria Files
SUPPORT 21WIRE – SUBSCRIBE & BECOME A MEMBER @21WIRE.TV