Israel vs Palestine/Lebanon/Iran/Yemen/Syria: a New Middle East War

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/upholdreality/status/1862682288779100223

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/upholdreality/status/1862637775607972016

[Ravenlocke]

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Regarding Syria:

1. Maintain perspective - as bad as the worst case scenario may seem, Syria had previously been almost entirely overrun before Russia's intervention in 2015 including fighting in and around Damascus itself;

2. This is going to shape Russia's calculus regarding Ukraine - clearly any deals made with Western proxies to freeze a conflict toward "peace" will only be used to prepare for more war;

3. Russia/Syria still maintain an advantage in military aviation, taking a heavy toll out on advancing US-backed terrorists - a factor that played heavily in their defeat leading up to the long-standing freeze in the first place;

4. Escalation in Syria is going to stretch Russia, Syria, and Iran, but also the US and its allies;

5. Only time will tell how this plays out, no one should assume one way or the other unless compelling evidence emerges - opensource information only gives part of the picture;

https://x.com/BrianJBerletic/status/1862865293284192720

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/Megatron_ron/status/1862624426417680700

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/MoonofA/status/1862873867229732966

https://www.moonofalabama.org/2024/1...on-syria-.html

U.S., Allies Reignite War On Syria
November 30, 2024

It seems that this earlier assessment of mine of the situation in Syria was wrong:

As the conflict in Lebanon subsides Israel and the U.S. have reignited the war in Syria. There have been signs for a while that this was going to happen. Yesterday Al-Qaeda affiliated HTS fighters, which has been rebuild and sponsored with CIA money, have relaunched their attacks on Syrian government forces west of Aleppo. Syrian and Russian air force attacks have for now stopped their progress. Hizbullah's Rudwan forces have yet to intervene but are deployed to defend Aleppo.
I do not expect the situation to Syria to escalate further.

As of now the situation continues to escalate. I had underestimated the role of Turkey in this.

President Erdogan seems to have taken control of HTS and is using it to pursue his aims. These include to widen Turkish control over Syrian land, to further damage the anti-Turkish resistance movement within the Kurdish population of Syria and to impress on president-elect Donald Trump that he can be a reliable ally in a fight against Iranian influence.

Jihadists under Turkish control have attacked Syrian government position on the western side of Aleppo city and diversion commandos seem to have infiltrated the city itself. A large part of this operation is the (fake) news onslaught accompanying it. Current information from the area is way too confused to state with some certainty what exactly is under who's control.

There are several forces fighting in Syria. The Turkish 'rebel' side, supported by Israel, Turkey and the U.S., includes two distinct groups. The former al-Qaeda Jihadists in Hayat Tarhir al-Sham [HTS] under Abu Muhammed al-Jolani were, and likely still are, financed and armed by the CIA through proxy actors in Qatar. HTS includes a significant number of Turkmen and Uighur jihadists from Central Asia. The second group is the so called Syrian National Army which is a group of Sunni Syria mercenaries paid for and controlled by Turkey.

These 'rebels' immediately distinguished themselves through their depraved behavior:

Hala Jaber @HalaJaber - 17:40 UTC · Nov 29, 2024 🔴IMPORTANT🔴
I have just watched a most gruesome footage of the so called Erdogan-backed “freedom fighters,” beheading a Syrian soldier they captured. A POW in western military terms.
I thought those days of ISIS evilness were over, but here we are again as history repeats itself while we are again being told that these are the good “liberators.”
The footage shows a Syrian soldier surrounded by ‘rebels.’
He pleads with them & pleads to their Islamic faith.
They pull his hand away from his neck & one guy with a huge jaggered knife proceeds to slice his throat. When it gets stuck, he pounds the knife into the neck a few times, then proceeds to continue with the slaughter to the cries of “Allahahu Akbar.”
Whoever in the western world is supporting these NATO-Israeli backed extremists should really think again. ...

On the other side of the conflict are the Syrian Arab Army (which seem to have forgotten all the lessons it had to learn during the previous phase of the conflict). It is supported by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps which has trained and is financing several groups of Shia fighters in Syria. This is done in strong coordination with Hizbullah in Lebanon which has some units of its Rudwan special forces stationed in Syria. Russia is backing the Syrian government in Syria and is currently using its air power to interrupt further attacks from the 'rebel' side.

The Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) is an anti-Turkish movement. It forms a major part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) which has been supported, on and off, by the Pentagon in east-Syria. It is currently fighting on the side of the Syrian government but has in own interest in securing areas with significant Kurdish populations.

While it was known that the conflict in Syria was soon to be revived the immediacy seems to have come as a surprise:

Sharmine Narwani @snarwani - 9:10 UTC · Nov 30, 2024 Russian newspaper Izvestia: The major terrorist attack on #Aleppo was coordinated between Turkish, Ukrainian and French intelligence with Israeli support and American approval. The planning was two months ago and the attack was supposed to be next March, but the events in Lebanon contributed to the urgency.

As said above there is no information yet that lets one make an unbiased assessment which side is really in control of what part of Aleppo or areas surrounding it. My impression is that many of the claims of Jihadist control here or there are only media operations without military significance.

But what can be said so far is that the Syrian government has obviously failed to secure its lines in the field and to prepare its army for a renewal of the conflict. The Syrian Arab Army seems to have given up many positions without a significant fight.
It will cost a lot of blood and treasure (again!) to regain control of them.

[Ravenlocke]

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Russian newspaper Izvestia: The major terrorist attack on #Aleppo was coordinated between Turkish, Ukrainian and French intelligence with Israeli support and American approval. The planning was two months ago and the attack was supposed to be next March, but the events in Lebanon contributed to the urgency.

https://x.com/snarwani/status/1862786158234874029

[Ravenlocke]

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🇸🇾🇮🇶 President Bashar al-Assad held a phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to discuss recent developments and joint efforts in combating terrorism, as well as a range of Arab and international issues.

During the conversation, Prime Minister al-Sudani emphasized that the security of Syria and Iraq is interconnected. He affirmed Iraq’s readiness to provide full support to Syria in confronting terrorism and its organizations. Al-Sudani also reiterated Iraq’s commitment to Syria’s stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

https://x.com/DD_Geopolitics/status/1862935493119463882

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/DD_Geopolitics/status/1862931903042715843

https://x.com/DD_Geopolitics/status/1862934087713149147

[Ravenlocke]

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🇸🇾🇹🇷🇺🇸 Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan:

Turkey is not involved in the fighting in Aleppo, but is taking precautionary measures.

We will avoid any actions that could cause a new wave of migration.

The lifeline of terrorist groups in the region lies in the hands of the US. Without the support of the USA, they would not have survived even three days.

We will never allow the terrorist structure in Syria to develop into a state.

https://x.com/DD_Geopolitics/status/1862857119562899858

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/KevorkAlmassian/status...36488947658908

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/ME_Observer_/status/1862924355061047355

[Ravenlocke]

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⚡️⭕️ What is happening in #Syria is a Turkish invasion aimed to take the Syrian-Iraq borders from the SDF to pave the way for a Trump pull-out from #Syria after the Turkish NATO member secures the Iraqi-Syrian borders and cuts off Iran, taking the helm of the responsibilities that Americans currently have with the SDF.

Turkey also has eyes on Iraq, as it considers Mosul as Turkish land.

The internationalization of the Lebanese-Syrian borders are also on the table.

Whether all this will succeed or not, the battles will decide.

Ofcourse, when we say NATO and cutting off Iranian supplies, everything is designed to make Israel supreme and protected. Israel is always in the midst of all these developments. Israel when it sees there's the correct political and military atmosphere, will not hesitate to take action in Syria.

WW3 started in 2011 in Syria, and it's continuing in 2024.

The war in Syria will shape the future of the region and the world.

https://x.com/ME_Observer_/status/1862933259987927487

[Bill Ryan]

Posted by Ravenlocke (here)
https://x.com/KevorkAlmassian/status...36488947658908

CONFIRMED: President Bashar al-Assad and President Vladimir Putin held high-stakes security talks in the Kremlin on Friday. Putin assured Russia’s unwavering support for the Syrian Army in its fight against renewed terrorist aggressions.

Pepe Escobar, in this new video posted on the Multipolar World thread, reported that Putin was furious with Assad for earlier refusing to take Erdogan's phone call, which (if they had talked) would likely have prevented at least some of the current sudden new crisis. However, Escobar also said that (of course) Putin, being the statesman that he is, would never express that to Assad in person.

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/MayadeenEnglish/status...36743583899665

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/...es-anti-resist

Ex-Lebanese President: Terrorism in Syria proves anti-Resistance plot
Former Lebanese President Emile Lahoud stated that recent developments in Syria, following the end of the war in Lebanon, underscore a shared agenda targeting the Axis of Resistance, directly in some cases and indirectly in others.

Lahoud remarked, "More than a decade ago, we asserted that the war on Syria aimed to create a submissive 'New Middle East' serving the Israeli enemy and willing to forfeit its rights and borders. At the time, we were accused of bias."

He questioned the role of extremist groups fighting in Syria, asking, "Where were these takfiri organizations when the war on Gaza erupted? They did not stand with Palestinians or Muslims, not even in a statement."

Lahoud drew parallels between the Resistance in Lebanon and Syria, stating, "Just as the invasion of Lebanon failed, thanks to the heroic resistance fighters, the attempt to control Aleppo will fail due to the steadfastness of the Syrian Arab Army, which has thwarted previous plots."

He further attributed the ongoing challenges to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's refusal to engage with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, describing the latter as "duplicitous in both actions and words."

"Praise is due to President Assad for choosing confrontation," Lahoud affirmed, adding, "This is the only language understood by tyrants like Erdogan and the Israeli enemy."

Attacks serve 'Israel'

Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh stated that the terrorist attack carried out by large numbers of militants since early Wednesday on the city of Aleppo and its countryside serves "the objectives of the Israeli occupation entity and its sponsors."

Sabbagh emphasized that Syria has consistently warned of the clear coordination between the Israeli assaults and the offensives launched by terrorist groups against the country.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Foreign Ministry claimed on Friday that Ankara "is fulfilling its commitments under the agreement on the de-escalation zone in Idlib. The ministry added that Turkey "attaches great importance to Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty."

It further noted that "it is crucial for Turkey to avoid another situation of instability and to prevent harm to civilians," highlighting that the recent clashes in northern Syria, following attacks on Syrian army positions in the Idlib and Aleppo countryside, "have led to an undesirable escalation of tensions in the region."

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/MayadeenEnglish/status...13922346500244

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/...ng-violence-in

Russia, Turkiye, Iran FMs discuss escalating violence in Syria
Diplomatic efforts intensified on Saturday as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held separate phone conversations with his Turkish and Iranian counterparts to address the escalating violence in Syria's provinces of Aleppo and Idlib, as reported by RIA Novosti.

The talks come in light of growing regional concern over renewed terrorist activity in these areas.

Russian-Turkish Discussions

Lavrov and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed shared alarm at the dangerous developments in Syria.

According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, both diplomats conceded the urgent need for coordinated action to stabilize the situation, and reaffirmed the role of the Astana process as the primary framework for dialogue and conflict resolution.

The Astana format, involving Russia, Turkiye, and Iran, has been instrumental in addressing the Syrian crisis through de-escalation zones and negotiations.

Read more: Turkey not involved in Aleppo, won't allow 'terrorist-led state': FM

Russia and Iran Strengthen Coordination

In a separate conversation, Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reaffirmed their commitment to Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. They condemned the recent surge in terrorist activity in Aleppo and Idlib, which Araghchi attributed to US-Israeli plans to destabilize the region.

The two ministers called for a comprehensive review of the situation within the Astana framework and pledged to intensify joint efforts to counteract the rise in militant activity.

The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that both sides are committed to addressing the security threats posed by terrorist groups and ensuring long-term stability in Syria.

Rising Violence in Aleppo and Idlib

The renewed violence in Syria comes after a series of terrorist attacks by armed groups in Aleppo and Idlib, prompting widespread international concern.

Both regions remain flashpoints in the war on Syria, with Idlib serving as the last major stronghold for opposition and extremist factions.

The escalation threatens to derail ongoing peace efforts and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country.

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/SuppressedNws/status/1862899036866384263

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/SuppressedNws/status/1862802406095892786

https://x.com/SuppressedNws/status/1862891778724307085

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/QudsNen/status/1862939103433568564

[Ravenlocke]

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BREAKING: Ultranationalist Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir orders police to begin confiscating loudspeakers from mosques in 1948-occupied Palestine, claiming the call to prayer disturbs settlers. He also demands fines for instances where confiscation is not possible, according to Channel 12 reporter.

https://x.com/QudsNen/status/1862923381269758020

[Ravenlocke]

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🚨BREAKING: Dr. Munir Al-Bursh, Director General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, to Al Jazeera:

“Israel is testing weapons on us that we do not recognize. They drop bombs with terrifying sounds, and when a person gets within 200-300 meters of them, they vaporize.

The massacres happening in northern Gaza are unknown to us until later. Nobody calls to inform us. The Israeli army bombs entire residential blocks, wiping out all their inhabitants, and we only find out about them a day or two later.

When these weapons are used on residential buildings, they reduce them to small fragments and rubble. We urgently need an international investigation committee to uncover what ‘Israel’ is doing to us.”

https://x.com/SuppressedNws/status/1862567660124262867