Yesterday evening (Thursday), discussions took place at Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office regarding Syria, attended by the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Staff. According to sources familiar with the details, Israel and the U.S. are observing signs of a collapse in the Syrian army’s defensive lines in its war with the rebels.
Army Radio’s military correspondent, Doron Kadosh, reported that according to a security source: “The last thing Israel wants is for Syria to fall into Iranian hands. We will continue to act to prevent that from happening.” Additionally, Israel is preparing for the possibility that Iran will attempt to strengthen its presence in Syria by sending forces and advanced weaponry. The main assessment in tonight’s discussions, according to Kadosh, is the need to prevent Iran from gaining strength in Syria and taking over the country.
IDF Strikes and the Response: Hezbollah Seeks Solutions in Syria
The Israeli defense establishment has identified another trend: Hezbollah is increasingly focusing on the Syrian front and transferring forces there while losing capabilities and weapons that have been handed over to the rebels and were originally intended for Hezbollah.
As reported earlier, Colonel Avichay Adraee issued a warning to the Lebanese population following U.S. intelligence assessments published yesterday by Reuters. These assessments indicate that Hezbollah is taking advantage of the ceasefire to rebuild after the severe blows inflicted by the IDF. The organization’s recovery efforts include ramping up domestic arms production and seeking creative ways to smuggle weapons through Syria under increasingly challenging conditions.
