Update: it appears the photos posted on twitter are fake. Hopefully that means there are no B-2 in the vicinity of Syria.
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Fresh from Cyprus resident Roy Murphy [7], who has posted these unverified pictures, we learn that US stealth drones, and B2s, have arrived at Akrotiri AFB.
#Cyprus [8] Snapped this about 5km west of Akrotiri towards Kouklia. Looks like some kind of stealth drone landing! :/ pic.twitter.com/Z5JyoDRQll [9]
— Roy Murphy (@DrRoyMurphy) August 29, 2013 [10]
#Cyprus [8] B2 Bomber arrived from Dhekelia #Syria [11] pic.twitter.com/B9CHLGQoCe [12]
— Roy Murphy (@DrRoyMurphy) August 29, 2013 [13]
Dekelia's busier today than Farnborough Airshow! 19xC-130's counted on the ground. MP's blocking all non-security cleared personnel. #Cyprus [8]
— Roy Murphy (@DrRoyMurphy) August 29, 2013 [14]
Didn't see any F-117s today, but saw some smaller stealth drones at Dekelia. Saw B2 Bomber take off. Wow! Turned out over Episkopi.
— Roy Murphy (@DrRoyMurphy) August 29, 2013 [15]
Typhoons landed and taken off 4 times in the last 3 hours. I count 6 so far, one after the other. They appear to be fully armed. #Syria [11]
— Roy Murphy (@DrRoyMurphy) August 29, 2013 [16]
@Chrisisace9 [17] I'm ex Army Air Corps and I live opposite Akrotiri in Cyprus. I have friends also serving on base, plus I skydive there. ;)
— Roy Murphy (@DrRoyMurphy) August 27, 2013 [18]
As for Syria, it is already taking defensive measures [19]:
President Bashar al-Assad's forces have removed several Scud missiles and dozens of launchers from a base north of Damascus, possibly to protect the weapons from a Western attack, opposition sources said on Thursday.
The move from the position in the foothills of the Qalamoun mountains, one of Syria's most heavily militarized districts, appears part of a precautionary but limited redeployment of armaments in areas of central Syria still held by Assad's forces, diplomats based in the Middle East told Reuters.
With U.S. air strikes looming in response to poison gas attacks last week on rebel-held Damascus suburbs, some of the formations on the move are accused by Assad's opponents of firing the chemical weapons. The Syrian government blames rebels for releasing gas but Western powers hold Assad responsible.
At the headquarters of the army's 155th Brigade, a missile unit whose base sprawls along the western edge of Syria's main highway running north from the capital to Homs, rebel scouts saw dozens mobile Scud launchers pulling out early on Thursday.
...
Assad's forces appeared already by Wednesday to have evacuated most personnel from army and security command headquarters in central Damascus, residents and opposition sources in the capital said.
In the Qalamoun area, an activist calling himself Amer al-Qalamouni told Reuters by telephone: "Most of the personnel in the base appear to have left.
He added that trailer trucks loaded with military equipment were also seen on the Damascus ring road to the south: "Either the hardware is being transported to be stored elsewhere or it will remain constantly on the move to avoid being hit," he said.
Perhaps someone should advise the Syrians that America has spy satellites, but not by phone - the NSA will be listening.
h/t @L0gg0l