Israel - Syria - Missiles catch-up

Israel hits Russian missiles in Syria The Australian November 02, 2013 12:00AM John Lyons ISRAEL is reported to have launched another airstrike on a supply of weapons in Syria. In what would be Israel's fifth such reported intervention this year, a supply of Russian-made surface-to-air missiles at a military base near Latakia, a stronghold of the Assad regime, was hit late this week. CNN quoted a US administration source as saying Israel had launched the attack. The report came as the international agency charged with overseeing the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons announced it had disabled all sites known to manufacture such weapons. ... Israel's concern about these missiles is that they could be used to shoot down civilian aircraft flying into and out of Israel. Mr Putin gave no commitment to stop such exports. After that visit, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad claimed that Russia was honouring all its weapons contracts with Syria. Israel has a policy of not confirming such attacks, but it also has a stated policy that it will strike any weapons that it believes are destined for Hezbollah. "My policy is to prevent the transfer of dangerous weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon and other terror groups as well," Mr Netanyahu said when asked about another possible Israeli strike in July. In May, a series of airstrikes destroyed Iranian-made missiles at a site near Damascus. ... Apart from reported airstrikes, Israel has become involved periodically when missiles have been fired from Syria into the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. Israeli doctors have also been treating injured Syrians who have made their way to the Golan Heights. Syria is believed to have about 1000 tonnes of mustard, sarin and nerve gas. Ralf Trapp, a chemical weapons expert, said that up to now it had been "a job very well done" by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. "I would be very satisfied at this point of time but very concerned about the future," he said. ... He said the re-establishment of Syria's weapons program would require the setting up of new testing, training and other facilities. "We are only at the beginning of the dismantling," Dr Trapp said. SOURCE - The Australian - here.

Old news to everyone else but news to me.

I don't understand how this works.

Why does Syria allow itself to be bombed?

How come Israel can just lob missiles wherever?


I'm taking a guess that the $225 million approved by Congress with much urgency wasn't really about pulverised Gaza.

Al-Nusra Front is at the Lebanese border.  There's been fighting there.  

There's fighting all over the place.

Could there be something big happening in the region?