Israel strikes at ‘strategic weapons systems’ in Syria as Kremlin says Putin personally authorised Assad asylum
Israel has said it has carried out airstrikes on “strategic weapons systems” inside Syria and that ground troop operations on Syrian territory were a “limited, temporary” step, as the Kremlin said it had been Vladimir Putin’s personal decision to grant Bashar al-Assad asylum there.
Speaking in Jerusalem, Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Saar said “the only interest we have is the security of Israel and its citizens … that’s why we attacked strategic weapons systems, like, for example, remaining chemical weapons, or long-range missiles and rockets, in order that they will not fall in the hands of extremists.”
Earlier Israel’s military issued photographs of IDF troops operating in the region of Mount Hermon, which is to the north-east of the Golan Heights, disputed territory which Israel seized from Syria in 1967 and unilaterally annexed in 1981.
In Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia’s president had made the decision to grant asylum to Assad and his family, but there were no plans as yet for the two to meet.
The Syrian embassy in Russia’s capital was seen flying the three-starred flag of opposition to Assad’s fallen regime.
Senior officials from Iran told Reuters that the country had opened direct communications with the leaders who overthrew Assad, saying “engagement is key to stabilise ties and avoiding further regional tensions.”
A senior minister in the UK indicated the country might reconsider the proscribed terrorist status of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamist rebel group which led the charge into Damascus. The UK government outlawed it in 2017 as an alternative name for al-Qaida.
Acting French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, said the country would shortly send a special diplomatic envoy to Damascus.
Key events
During his regular morning media briefing, as well as saying that it had been Vladimir Putin who had approved asylum for Bashar al-Assad in Russia, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was also asked about the continued presence of Russian military resources inside Syria.
Peskov said it was “premature” to talk about the future of the bases in Khmeimim and Tartus. Tass reported that Peskov said it would be “a subject for discussion with those who will lead Syria.”
Israel strikes at ‘strategic weapons systems’ in Syria as Kremlin says Putin personally authorised Assad asylum
Israel has said it has carried out airstrikes on “strategic weapons systems” inside Syria and that ground troop operations on Syrian territory were a “limited, temporary” step, as the Kremlin said it had been Vladimir Putin’s personal decision to grant Bashar al-Assad asylum there.
Speaking in Jerusalem, Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Saar said “the only interest we have is the security of Israel and its citizens … that’s why we attacked strategic weapons systems, like, for example, remaining chemical weapons, or long-range missiles and rockets, in order that they will not fall in the hands of extremists.”
Earlier Israel’s military issued photographs of IDF troops operating in the region of Mount Hermon, which is to the north-east of the Golan Heights, disputed territory which Israel seized from Syria in 1967 and unilaterally annexed in 1981.
In Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia’s president had made the decision to grant asylum to Assad and his family, but there were no plans as yet for the two to meet.
The Syrian embassy in Russia’s capital was seen flying the three-starred flag of opposition to Assad’s fallen regime.
Senior officials from Iran told Reuters that the country had opened direct communications with the leaders who overthrew Assad, saying “engagement is key to stabilise ties and avoiding further regional tensions.”
A senior minister in the UK indicated the country might reconsider the proscribed terrorist status of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamist rebel group which led the charge into Damascus. The UK government outlawed it in 2017 as an alternative name for al-Qaida.
Acting French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, said the country would shortly send a special diplomatic envoy to Damascus.
Iran has opened a direct line of communication with members of Syria’s new leadership, a senior Iranian official has told Reuters, in an attempt to “prevent a hostile trajectory” between the countries.
“This engagement is key to stabilise ties and avoiding further regional tensions,” the news agency said an official told it.
Syria’s embassy in Moscow has begun flying the three-starred flag of the opposition to Bashar al-Assad’s fallen regime.
Yavne, which is on the coast of southern Israel, to the north of Ashdod and the Gaza Strip, has reportedly been hit by a drone.
In a statement Israel’s military initially said “reports were received regarding a suspicious aerial target that fell in the area of Yavne. No sirens were sounded.”
It later added, via its official Telegram channel, that “a UAV that likely originated in Yemen impacted in the area of Yavne. As of now, no injuries were reported.”
The IDF said the incident is under review.
This image, sent over the news wires, shows people queueing in Turkey to enter Syria on Monday morning.
Israel’s foreign minister: strikes inside Syria aimed at ‘strategic weapons systems’
In a press briefing in Jerusalem, Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Saar has described his country’s invasion of Syria as a “limited, temporary” step and said the airstrikes conducted by the IDF had been aimed at “strategic weapons systems.”
Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967 and unilaterally annexed them in 1981. Earlier today Israel’s military issued photographs of IDF troops operating further inside Syrian territory, in the region of Mount Hermon.
The Times of Israel reports that Saar said, after Israel targeted sites inside Syria with airstrikes, “the only interest we have is the security of Israel and its citizens … that’s why we attacked strategic weapons systems, like, for example, remaining chemical weapons, or long-range missiles and rockets, in order that they will not fall in the hands of extremists.”
Reuters reports that Jean-Noël Barrot, who continues to act as France’s foreign minister while the country assembles a new government, has said on the radio that the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria was a stunning defeat for Russia, and said France will shortly send a special diplomatic envoy to Damascus.
Palestinian news agency Wafa reports that one of its correspondents and a photographer were injured in an assault by Israeli security forces in the village of Al-Walaja, northwest of Bethlehem, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, while the Israeli security forces were carrying out the demolition of two Palestinian homes.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reports that an Israeli strike on a vehicle in Bint Jbeil killed one person and injured two soldiers at an army checkpoint.
More details soon …
Israeli media reports that defense minister Israel Katz has ordered the Israeli military to strike at targets inside Syria including “surface-to-air missiles, air defence systems, surface-to-surface missiles, cruise missiles, long-range rockets, and coast-to-sea missiles.”
In a statement the recently appointed minister said he had ordered the military to create a “security zone free of heavy strategic weapons and terror infrastructure.”
Speaking on Sky News in the UK this morning, senior minister Pat McFadden has suggested that the country may consider changing the status of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which the UK currently designates as a proscribed terror group.
Reuters reports he told viewers “We will consider that. And I think it will partly depend on what happens.”
The British government proscribed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in May 2017 as an alternative name for al-Qaida.
