Monday, April 16, 2018

New Attacks

Syrian air defense systems have been activated in response to a missile attack apparently targeting Shayrat Airbase in Homs province, state media SANA reports.

Up to 10 missiles were destroyed by the Syrian Armed Forces, a military source told Sputnik. The Syrian air defenses managed to intercept some of the projectiles, according to a SANA reporter. Meanwhile, the Al Mayadeen news outlet is claiming that all the projectiles were intercepted and inflicted no physical damage or casualties at the targeted Syrian base.
The Pentagon has denied initiating strikes or conducting any other military activity in Homs province. “There is no US military activity in that area at this time,” the Pentagon’s spokesperson told Reuters. The same information was also shared with TASS news agency by Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon.
The raid in Homs countryside reportedly coincided with another missile attack against a military airbase near Damascus. According to various Arabic media channels, three missiles targeted Al Dumayr airport, but they were all allegedly downed by the Syrian air defenses.
According to yet unconfirmed reports, the missiles entered Syrian airspace from Lebanon, which may indicate that the Israeli Air Force could have been involved, Al-Masdar News reports, citing a military source. The outlet’s reporter also published several videos allegedly showing the launch of interceptor missiles....
Looks to me like Israel Defense Force standing a message to Putin who told Bibi that stay out of Syria.

RT
Syrian air defenses respond to missiles over Homs province – state media

See also at RT
The US-led missile strike against Syria on Saturday targeted research centers and military facilities, including airfields, Russia’s Defense Ministry said, adding that none have received severe damage thanks to the air defenses.
Real targets of US-led strike were Syrian airfields, not research centers – MoD

See also
A senior Israeli military official admitted to NYT columnist Thomas Friedman that Israel targeted the Iranian drone command center at the T4 air base in Syria last week, an airstrike which killed 14 people, half of whom were Iranians active in Syria.
"It was the first time we attacked live Iranian targets — both facilities and people,” said the Israeli military official quoted by Haaretz.….
Israel forcing Trumps hand?

Zero Hedge
"It Was The First Time We Attacked Live Iranian Targets": Israel Admits Striking Iran Base In Syria

4 comments:

Noah Way said...

I'm surprised that RT hasn't been shut down yet.

Kaivey said...

Apparently, the US was surprised at how good the Russian missile defence system was.

Noah Way said...

Unfortunately this will not stop anything. Weapons development will accelerate to meet the new 'threat' and strategies will be devised to counter it. My guess is next time they will simply overwhelm the defenses with numerical superiority.

Longer term this will result in the same thing that happened to the USSR: collapse due to indirect economic attrition.

Tom Hickey said...

Right. If the US decides to commit.

As The Saker has pointed out, Russia is in a weak position in Syria. If the US really wants to take it, it can.

But it also has to pay the price and the cost is uncertain. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, etc., haven't gone well and the costs are running up. When I say "costs," I don't mean only or even chiefly monetary.

You can't buy an empire.