Despite President Trump adopting his harshest rhetoric yet to condemn Russia and the government of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad for an alleged chemical attack in rebel-held eastern Ghouta, a missile strike carried out overnight on a Syrian airfield was not the US's doing.
Instead, Russia and Syria have accused Israel of carrying out the strike on Syria's T-4 airfield, situated about halfway between Homs (Syria's third-largest city) and Palmyra (famously the site of ancient ruins). RT reports that two Israeli F-15 jets fired eight guided missiles at the airfield from Lebanese airspace. The jets never entered Syria.
Of these, Syrian air defenses intercepted five. The attack left roughly 14 people dead, including Iranians and Syrians, the Associated Press reported.
Russia and the Syrian military blamed Israel for a pre-dawn missile attack Monday on a major air base in central Syria, saying Israeli fighter jets launched the missiles from Lebanon's air space. A war-monitoring group said the airstrikes killed 14 people, including Iranians active in Syria.
Russia's Defense Ministry said two Israeli aircraft targeted the T4 air base in Homs province, firing eight missiles. It said Syria shot down five of them while the other three landed in the western part of the base. Syrian state TV quoted an unnamed military official as saying that Israeli F-15 warplanes fired several missiles at T4. It gave no further details.
Israel's foreign ministry had no comment when asked about the accusations.
Since 2012, Israel has struck inside Syria more than 100 times, mostly targeting suspected weapons' convoys destined for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which has been fighting alongside Syrian government forces.
Most recently, Israel hit the same T4 base in February, after it said an Iranian drone that had violated Israeli airspace took off from the base. The base, which was used as a launching pad for counter offensive attacks against Islamic State militants who were at one point stationed close by, is near the Shayrat air base, which was targeted by U.S. missiles last year in response to a chemical weapons attack.
Monday's missile attack came hours after President Donald Trump warned there would be a "big price to pay" after a suspected poison gas attack Saturday on the last remaining foothold for Syrian rebels in the eastern suburbs of Damascus. At least 40 people were killed in that assault, including families found in their homes and shelters, opposition activists and local rescuers said.
Eight missiles were launched by two Israeli Air Force F-15 jets at the T-4 airfield located about halfway between Homs and the ancient city of Palmyra. Israel previously launched a strike against the base back in February after an Iranian drone ventured into Israeli airspace, provoking an alarmed response.
This isn't Israel's first unprovoked attack on a Syrian military installation: most recently, Israel launched an attack against a government installation near Damascus almost exactly two months ago. Before that, the Israelis launched another unprovoked attack back in September.
Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen reported Monday that Israeli reconnaissance aircraft had been spotted close to the border with Syria during the attack. The missiles crossed Lebanese airspace over Keserwan and Bekaa before heading toward Syria.
France, which we had initially suspected might be behind the attack, along with Israel...
Israel and/or France
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) April 9, 2018
...denied involvement. According to the Guardian, Russian troops have been known to frequent the base, but it appears no Russians were caught up in the early Monday attack. French President Emmanuel Macron has said that chemical weapons use in Syria would cross a "red line" that would provoke France to intervene.
Tellingly, the Israeli embassy in Moscow refused to comment on the attacks, interpreted by many as an admission it was behind the strikes (and by exclusion: the US vocally denied it was behind the strikes).
Israel has said it is "concerned" about the Iranian military presence building on its border. Specifically, Israel is worried about Iranian efforts to repair advanced guided systems. Israel, along with its latest regional ally of convenience, Saudi Arabia, has been steadily inching toward an all-out war with Iran by way of Syria.
Meanwhile, it once again appears that unconfirmed allegations about a chemical attack organized and backed by Assad were cobbled together by a foreign enemy to "justify possible military strikes from outside Syria," as Russian Major General Yury Yevtushenko predicted in a statement yesterday.
Video of the missiles screaming toward the airbase was captured and shared with the AP.
The IDF sent a tweet hinting at an attack against T-4 as early as Feb. 10, around the time an Israeli F-16 was shot down over the Golan Heights border area.
For a long time Iran and the Quds Force have been operating, with the backing of Syrian forces and the approval of the Syrian regime, from the Syrian T-4 Airbase near Tadmor. pic.twitter.com/U9H33vDF4O
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) February 10, 2018
While the US was quick to pin the chemical attack in Ghouta - the last rebel stronghold in what's considered suburban Damascus - on Russia and Assad, the US jumped to a similar conclusion a year ago when Trump authorized a fusillade of tomahawk missiles to strike a Syrian airbase. It was later learned that the US had no proof to suggest that attack was orchestrated by Assad's government.
As for Israel's desire to provoke another regional war, it is understandable in light of growing Iranian influence on its border, while President Trump recently announced his intention to pull US troops out of Syria - although the neocons that now dominate the Trump national security team have been aghast at such a suggestion, and have managed to convince the president to slow-roll this. It remains unclear if they staged the false flag chemical attack in Syria with the help of Israel, or on their own.
Meanwhile, the Guardian says the IDF views the chaos in the West Wing as the latest sign that it must take matters into its own hands, and not wait for explicit US approval. However, with a UN Security Council meeting scheduled for Monday over recent events in Syria, we now wait to see what kind of response Russia and Assad will decide on, and how Moscow will respond to this provocation by Netanyahu, who has been friendly - at least superficially - with Putin in recent months.
Comments
Too quick to blame can only lead to moar war.
All it takes is one itchy trigger
One more widow, one less white nigger
Oliver's Army is here to stay
Oliver's army are on their way
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today
Elvis Costello
J. Peasemold Gruntfuttock
The jews will use madeline Albright reasoning of we had to kill the Syrian children to protect the Syrian children
In reply to Too quick to blame can only… by J. Peasemold G…
The story is now getting widely confirmed. Looks like it was actually 4 jets not 2:
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/breaking-lebanese-military-confirm…
2 for the attack and 2 to provide countermeasure support.
The Russian Defense Ministry has also said that medics in Douma received no patients with signs of chemical poisoning:
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201804091063359321-douma-medics-pati…
In reply to The jews will use madeline… by topspinslicer
/pol/ knew this last night. So much for "paranoid conspiracy theories."
In reply to The story is now getting… by EuroPox
The global death rate from every war since 1400 AD:
http://thesoundingline.com/global-deaths-in-conflicts-since-the-year-14…
In reply to /pol/ knew this last night… by HopefulCynical
Zios gonna Zio.
"The Zionist cries out in pain as he strikes you".
Dear Isreal,
Jesus Christ is Lord.
Leave the synogogue of Satan and get your humanity despising asses into Church
In reply to The global death rate from… by Four Star
How come Russia doesn't stop them?? Oh wait...they can't
In reply to Zios gonna Zio by strannick
If the coward joos would have entered Syrian air space it would have been a different story. But no they have to launch from outside. What a bunch of pussys!
In reply to How come Russia doesn't stop… by egerman
It's a shame those Russian-made Syrian S-200 ground to air missiles don’t work very effectively.
In reply to If the coward joos would… by valjoux7750
Now more than ever, it's likely Israhell was the mastermind behind the false flag gas attack. They just couldn't wait any longer for the US or France to carry out the bombing on their behalf. Trump has been vocal in support of Israhell. The ICC should hold him accountable for Israhell's crimes against humanity too.
In reply to Those Russian S200 ground to… by directaction
You fucking idiots. This base had been bombed into uselessness in the past. It's a fucking prop.
"Jews bombed prop to pretend that they are fighting a war."
In reply to Now more than ever, it's… by beemasters
If this is just a soap opera then why bother? What's the function? Help me here I want to understand.
Is this an attempt to drag the USA into yet another war?
In reply to You fucking idiots. This… by D503
Could very well be.
I say let the Brits & Frogs continue on with Obama's & Hillary's little war, they laid the foundation.
In reply to adsf by DownWithYogaPants
US Backed Terrorist Mercenaries Launch Attack Against Syria, Trump Thorougly Approves
there, fixed it for you
In reply to Could very well be. … by nmewn
It could be that the Matzo Potemkin jet attack is to provoke an Iran response that would produce a confrontation between Russia/Iran and the Neocon/Zio dominated US government.
Oy…
In reply to US Backed Terrorist… by Bes
This latest chemical attack in Syria is yet another FALSE FLAG.
Just like all the previous chemical attacks in Syria were FALSE FLAG attacks.
Just like the Skripal "chemical attack" in Britain was a FALSE FLAG attack.
Trump is a Jew (so is Theresa May, by the way).
http://www.preearth.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=630
http://mileswmathis.com/trump.pdf
It seems the Jews want war,.... yet again.
If you wish to see how real wars are conducted, read:
Proof that Adolf Hitler was a double agent.
http://www.preearth.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1174
It seems pretty weird when you first read it, but its clearly true.
In reply to … by Manthong
Remember, the evil people, Theresa May, Stoltenberg, Trump and the rest, are damning Russia with obvious lies.
The Novichok nerve agents don't even exist.
HERE IS THE PROOF:
The Novichok nerve agents are supposedly much more toxic than the nerve gases VX or Sarin (and yet the Skripals are still alive!?).
Mirzayanov's book, published in 2008, contains the formulas he alleges can be used to create Novichoks. In 1995, he explained that "the chemical components or precursors" of Novichok are "ordinary organophosphates that can be made at commercial chemical companies that manufacture such products as fertilizers and pesticides."
https://www.amazon.com/State-Secrets-Insiders-Chronicle-Chemical/dp/143…
Basically, Mirzayanov claims that it is relatively easy to make the Novichok nerve agents.
So, some enterprising Arabs could buy a few chemists to make a few tons of it and then spray it all over the little Satan.
Do you really think that the Jews who run the United States would allow the publication of information that could lead to thousands of deaths in Israel?
Do you really think they would protect the publisher of such information by giving him residence in the United States?
Remember, Mirzayanov was given residence (and a University position) in the United States after he was kicked out of Russia.
There are also a number of "people who should know" that have stated that there is zero solid evidence for the existence of the Novichok nerve agents. For example: Robin Black in Development, Historical Use and Properties of Chemical Warfare Agents (2016):
"In recent years, there has been much speculation that a fourth generation of nerve agents, ‘Novichoks’ (newcomer), was developed in Russia, beginning in the 1970s as part of the ‘Foliant’ programme, with the aim of finding agents that would compromise defensive countermeasures. Information on these compounds has been sparse in the public domain, mostly originating from a dissident Russian military chemist, Vil Mirzayanov. No independent confirmation of the structures or the properties of such compounds has been published."
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2018/03/the-novichok-story-is-i…
And, Alexander Shulgin, Russia's representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (2018):
"There has never been a ‘Novichok’ research project conducted in Russia,... But in the West, some countries carried out such research, which they called 'Novichok,' for some reason."
CONCLUSION: The Novichok nerve agents don't even exist.
In reply to Remember, the evil people,… by Slack Jack
"Two Israeli Air Force F-15 jets fired eight guided missiles at the T-4 airfield."
This doesn't sound right to me.
Eight (necessarily small) missiles (let alone three) aren't going to do much (except possibly start a big shooting war).
This doesn't have "the ring of truth".
More believable is that someone gave missiles to their ISIS/terrorist friends to fire at the base.
In reply to This latest chemical attack… by Slack Jack
TIME to put Israhell down. OTHERWISE it'll never stay put.
Thank GOD, the end of Israhell is near.
In reply to "Two Israeli Air Force F-15… by Slack Jack
Man, it's too bad there isn't a global organization where nations that have their airspace repeatedly violated by other hostile nations can be called to account.
I am Chumbawamba.
In reply to Time to put Israhell down. by beepbop
There are way too many pro-Russia, anti-Israel, anti-west and conspiracy stories on ZH. I thought this site was about the stock market, companies and economics. It's becoming a forum for Russians and America bashers. If that's the type of user you prefer ZH then carry on but you are losing users that are interested in finance.
UPDATE: Judging by the responses and votes it seems I am correct. What say you, Tyler?
In reply to Man, it's too bad there isn… by chumbawamba
STFU, you fucken US MIC.
You are a traitor to the American people and her Constitution.
In reply to There are way too many pro… by IH8OBAMA
Go fuck yourself, pussy. I have rocks in my yard that are smarter than you.
In reply to STFU, you fucken US MIC… by JibjeResearch
Run along to CNN with your smart rocks if you dont like it here.
In reply to Go fuck yourself, pussy. by IH8OBAMA
I'm making over $14k a month working part time. I kept hearing other people tell me how much money they can make online so I decided to look into it. Well, it was all true and has totally changed my life. This is what I do... http://disq.us/url?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.Jobzon3.com%3Ab8eR_DQLwGRPVGtFv…
In reply to Fuck off to CNN with your… by strannick
Now now IH8OBAMA, settle down & pop another Xanax & some Paxil, before you have an aneurysm...
Can't have the ambulance showing up again...
In reply to The pharisees are too stupid… by RhinoSilver
The Israelis warned the US about the pending attack so the US could pass the timing on to their ISIS buddies. ISIS then arranged a ground assault on T-4 just after the missile strikes. The ground attack was successfully countered by the Syrians and Iranians.
In reply to Now now IH8OBAMA, settle… by Bubba Rum Das
Good one, Bubba. Thanks for your concern but I'm NOT about to bust a gasket. Seems some others here might be, though. LOL
In reply to Now now IH8OBAMA, settle… by Bubba Rum Das
You are a traitor.
Fucken Neanderthal.. using smart rocks for financial advisers lolz
In reply to Go fuck yourself, pussy. by IH8OBAMA
You're becoming ridiculous, jibjab. But I'm glad I gave you a reason to post. Other than your belligerent posts to me I've never seen you post before. Maybe you'll become a regular Pussy here on ZH.
In reply to You are a traitor… by JibjeResearch
You have rocks in your FUCKING Israel supporting head - asshole !
In reply to Go fuck yourself, pussy. by IH8OBAMA
As appose to?........In my mouth like yourself?
In reply to You have rocks in your… by Jack Oliver
Your tenure is a lot like the other fuckheads here now. All coming in just before or after Trump won the election. There's more to it than meets the eye.
Either way, you're a useless piece of shit tool.
In reply to STFU, you fucken US MIC… by JibjeResearch
Get off the cut-dick, 56%murishart.
In reply to You're tenure is a lot like… by arby63
Oh ,my ! Even more chosen than we see around the Donald and in every position of f*cking power in JUSA?
You don't say !
In reply to You're tenure is a lot like… by arby63
Uh oh, another "1 year 1 month" genius! Typical poor troll.
In reply to There's more to it than… by veritas semper…
Well,if after 7 years being on ZH you are so ignorant and have so little critical thinking , there could be only two explanations: there is something wrong with ZH , failing to educate you ,or you are so obtuse that is an impossible task. I believe the second to be true.
In reply to Uh oh, another "1 year 1… by arby63
Thanks for the input Senator McCain. And go fuck yourself....
In reply to There are way too many pro… by IH8OBAMA
Same to you dipshit.
In reply to Thanks for the input Senator… by SmackDaddy
Take your pick, listen to fake news or conspiracy theories. Or go on the internet and do your own research. Try to find the stories that actually fit reality. Sometimes we just need to draw our own conclusions since the truth lies behind the veil of absolute secrecy, and we aren't part of them clubs. Examples of secret entities: The federal reserve, the CIA, the NSA, (well, everything that is called so called government), free masons, skull and bones, the Vatican, the illuminati if it exists, and the list goes on and on. We are surrounded by lies while the truth is kept secret. We just need to draw our own conclusions. We can even find all kinds of bull shit on you tube videos of people claiming to be insiders and want to reveal the truth, people claiming God told them this and that, taking dreams as being prophecy, false claims about history, etc. We are people, therefore we have a tendency to lie and we also strongly believe in things that just aren't true. We have a long way to go as a human race. Lies, total secrecy, covert operations, etc. all need to be replaced by righteousness and the truth. And we won't find 100% truth with any media source whether it be main stream media, conspiracy channels, the internet, etc. 100% truth just doesn't exist. Lies are mixed in with the truth everywhere we turn and we just don't know what is true. If you need a good example, try the Iraq war. We believed all the lies they told us and we went to war. After perhaps a million Iraqi citizens dying, injured, displaced from their homes, etc., we realized it was all a lie. And 9/11 is another one. We just believe anything they tell us. And Building 7 just fell in a perfectly controlled demolition on its own, just believe it. Or, we can use our common sense and try to draw our own conclusions.
In reply to There are way too many pro… by IH8OBAMA
You could of course read the articles that interest you...? Rather than trying to limit freedom of thought by bashing articles you can't wrap your head around... Promoting the ZH to 'go along' with your chain of thought...
In reply to There are way too many pro… by IH8OBAMA
Nice try wren, but I don't think that's it. I think ZH is the one that has changed direction over the years, not me. I would also say the posters here have become much more anti-Israel, anti-America and pro-Russia over the last year or two. And, doesn't it seem that every conspiracy theory story printed here involves the U.S., Israel or other Western nation? Should we be glad that Russia and other Eastern nations NEVER lie to us or provide fodder for conspiracy?
For example, I'm sure it was the U.S. or Ukraine that downed that passenger plane a year or two ago. Certainly not Russia or the Russian rebels in Ukraine. LOL
In reply to You could of course read the… by wren
Stop commenting. This is an agitprop site. An echo chamber makes it obvious to all what it really is. Nobody in world --even Kremlin stooges-- believes any of this shit anymore.
In reply to Nice try wren, but I don't… by IH8OBAMA
Shalom, shalom, go to steal something instead of writing jooshit.
In reply to Stop commenting. This is an… by jm
Oy vey, da goyim know!!!
Close it down!
In reply to There are way too many pro… by IH8OBAMA
Judging by that last question, I say you have listened to too much Bill O'Reilly on Fox without any critical thinking of your own.
As soon as Russia starts bombing another country because it does not like its political leadership I will lead the anti-Russian parade. For now, it was Israel that commited yet another blatant act of war.
In reply to There are way too many pro… by IH8OBAMA
Was the link you clicked misleading? Just curious.
In reply to There are way too many pro… by IH8OBAMA
What link? Do you mean this story? I don't doubt Israel launched the strike. I do object to the slant the writer paints in the story with an obvious biased, limited informational view. Many other stories are so slanted as to introduce biased and false information. There seems to be no fact checking before a story gets published on ZH. We've seen satirical Onion stories published here and other stories that make false statements as if they are fact.
I would like to see some journalistic honesty return to ZH.
In reply to Was the link you clicked… by Pew Pew Pew
I have $500 in rolled quarters?
In reply to There are way too many pro… by IH8OBAMA
Silver quarters? Oh, but of course. Roll some more - that's not enough.
In reply to I have $500 in rolled… by Mr Hankey
Pagination