As stated yesterday.. there is lots to cover. Including the latest Israeli airstrikes on SyriaTo 'get' the bigger picture, regionally speaking, start with
Then continue reading below:8- Israeli Strikes on Syria
SANA Syrian air defenses confront Israeli missile aggression on Tal al-Harra in southern region, down a number of missiles The Syrian Arab Army air defenses confronted an Israeli missile aggression on Tal al-Harra in the southern region and downed a number of missiles.SANA reporter said that the Syrian air defenses at about 02:00 am confronted an Israeli aggression with missiles on Tal al-Harra in the southern region and downed a number of missiles.The reporter indicated that the aggression only caused material damage, and no fatalities were reported in Tal al-Haraa.He indicated that after its aggression with a number of missiles, the Israeli enemy started an electronic war as the radars were exposed to jamming.
8(a) Reuters
Israel carried out a missile attack on a strategic hill in Syria overlooking a frontier zone between the countries early on Wednesday, the Syrian state news agency SANA said.It said damage was caused to Tal al-Hara, in the Daraa governorate near the occupied Golan Heights, and that Syrian air defences shot down several missiles. Israel used “electronic warfare” to disrupt radars during the attack, SANA added.
9- US, UAE found new pro-PKK ‘Arab party’ in northeast SyriaThe source is Yeni Safak, BUT, this move makes perfect sense considering the discontent of the Arabs in the occupied territory- Also, UAE and Saudi Arabia have been supporting the PKK in the annexed territory for years now- Including supplying them with fighters..
"The Raqqa-based party, called the Independent Arab Movement, is said to be supported by crown princes Mohammed bin Salman and Mohammad bin Zayed in coordination with the U.S. administration with the aim of “improving the image” of PKK terrorists in the eyes of Arab tribes in the northeastern region.Speaking exclusively to Yeni Safak, spokesman for the Syria Tribal Council Mudar Hammad pointed that the new party is “an attempt to legitimize the PKK on the ground,” adding that “high-ranking PKK members including Salih Müslüm, Ilham Ahmed and Ahmad al-Jarba were among the many terrorists who took part in the conference.”Hammad went on to say that the main aim behind the party is to “prevent the PKK from looking like an occupying force.”
10- Idlib: Refugee return and separating those who are recognized by the UN from those who are not
"Our Turkish friends have taken on the task of ensuring such separation. As soon as it happens -- which will mean that the conversation with the terrorists should be very short -- the fate of two million civilians will be eased and they can live in peace,” Lavrov said.Once it is provided, displaced Syrians will be able to return home, says Russia’s foreign ministerRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has urged to waste no time to separate Syria’s opposition from terrorist groups in the Idlib de-escalation zone.“Those who are displaced will be able to return to their places of permanent residence," he added Lavrov called Syrians and armed opposition in Idlib "hostages" of the terrorist group al-Nusra Front -- which is currently operating under the name of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham."The solution to this issue is to fully implement the Sochi memorandum to unblock the deadlock in the Idlib de-escalation zone by separating the armed opposition from these bandits, from terrorist structures recognized as such by the UN security Council," Lavrov added.
11- US Gives Turkey Until July 31 to Backtrack on Russian Missile Deal12- Kurdish Figure Lobbying in US to Become Iraq’s President?Gee and here I thought their leader would be elected. (Facetious) After all the US brought Iraq "democracy"
In attempts to lobby the Trump administration to help him become the President of Iraq, a Kurdish figure has written letters to National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, urging them to strengthen the ties with those seeking to overthrow the Iranian government, a report has revealed.The Washington Post said in a report that Nahro Kasnazan, in his letters in July last year, has expressed his desire "to achieve mutual interest to weaken the Iranian Mullahs regime and end its hegemony."
In addition to that, the report said, Kasnazan, four months later, checked into Trump International Hotel in Washington, spending 26 nights in a suite on the eighth floor which is believed to have costed the Kurdish figure tens of thousands of dollars.His long stay at the expensive hotel has been considered unusual, and according to The Washington Post, Kasnazan's visit was the longest listed, adding that he willingly acknowledges "an ambitious political agenda," advocating for a US military confrontation with Iran in hopes of achieving Washington's help to blunt Tehran's influence in Iraq.He, the leader of an order of Sufi Muslims, reportedly was a paid CIA informant during the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, while his family used to have close ties with Saddam al-Hussein, the dictator of former Iraqi Baath regime.
Kasnazan, however, is wanted by Iraq, and he, therefore, lives in Jordan currently."
That's a dozen points of interest from varying sources. Caught up for the moment.