Israel says it has destroyed 80 percent of the Syrian army’s capabilities
Israeli Army Radio said that Israel’s air force has completed the main part of the military operation it began in Syria, called Operation Arrow of Bashan/Golan, and that it has destroyed about 80 percent of the Syrian army’s military capabilities.
Army Radio added that since the start of the operation on Sunday night, the Israeli military has destroyed warplanes, combat helicopters, surface-to-air missile batteries, Scud and cruise missiles, drones, weapons depots, and ammunition manufacturing sites, army sites and facilities connected to Iran, and sunk 15 missile boats.
The ground operation in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights east of the ceasefire line is continuing, Army Radio said.
UN says Syria’s neighbours should not encroach on its territory
Speaking to reporters from United Nations headquarters in New York City, spokesperson Stephane Dujarric says the UN is against any violation of the territorial integrity of Syria.
Dujarric was asked about strikes by Israel on its neighbour. “We’re against these types of attacks. I think this is a turning point for Syria. It should not be used by its neighbours to encroach on the territory of Syria,” he said.
Dujarric also said that the UN considers the land in the Syrian Golan Heights taken by Israel in 1967 to be occupied territory.
Israel is taking advantage of ‘weaknesses around them’ in bid to expand
Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst Marwan Bishara says Israel believes that it can “get away” with the assaults it is carrying out in the region.
Many of the Israeli ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government perceive parts of Syria, Jordan and Lebanon as being parts of the “‘greater Israel’ that they were promised”, Bishara said.
“They take advantage of each and every pretext, of each and every opportunity in order to expand that territory,” he said. “It is something that they have their eye on, and they will continually expand, and take advantage of weaknesses around them.”
Syria has to unite first to formulate stance on Israel
Israel is using the situation in Syria to its advantage to create a huge buffer zone, said Marina Miron, a post-doctorate researcher in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London.
“The new Syrian government will want to reassert its authority but one step at a time. If we look at such transitions, the group needs to show it can govern the country,” Miron said.
“This is a very difficult task, but this would be the most important focus internally to unite the country before Syria as a whole can reinforce its defences and formulate a stance towards Israel.”
Israel is making sure there won't be any defenses left to take over...
Israeli army says it hit Syria with about 480 strikes in 48 hours
The Israeli military said that it conducted about 480 strikes over the past 48 hours on strategic military targets in Syria, days after the overthrow of president Bashar al-Assad.
“Within the last 48 hours, the [Israeli army] struck most of the strategic weapons stockpiles in Syria, preventing them from falling into the hands of terrorist elements,” the military said in a statement, adding that the targets included 15 naval vessels, anti-aircraft batteries and weapons production sites in several cities.
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