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Israel Airstrike Targeted Advanced Missiles That Russia Sold to Syria, U.S.

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WASHINGTON — Israel carried out an air attack in Syria this month that targeted advanced antiship cruise missiles sold to the Syria government by Russia, American officials said Saturday.

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The officials, who declined to be identified because they were discussing intelligence reports, said the attack occurred July 5 near Latakia, Syria’s principal port city. The target was a type of missile called the Yakhont, they said.
Mark Regev, a spokesman for the Israeli prime minister, declined to comment on the strike, as did George Little, the Pentagon spokesman.
The Russian-made weapon has been a particular worry for the Pentagon because it expanded Syria’s ability to threaten Western ships that could be used to transport supplies to the Syrian opposition, enforce a shipping embargo or support a possible no-flight zone.
The missile also represented a threat to Israel’s naval forces and raised concerns that it might be provided to Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia that has joined the war on the side of the Syrian government.
The attack against the missiles came to light after Syrian rebels said that they were not responsible for large explosions at Latakia on July 5, and that a missile warehouse had been hit. American officials did not provide details on the extent of the damage or the number of missiles struck.
Israeli officials have said they would not take sides in the civil war in Syria, but they have made it clear that Israel is prepared to carry out airstrikes to prevent sophisticated weapons from being diverted to Hezbollah.
The strike near Latakia, first reported by CNN, was the fourth known Israeli air attack against targets in Syria this year.
Israel has a longstanding policy of silence on pre-emptive military strikes. In October, Israeli officials declined to discuss reports that Israeli airstrikes had destroyed a weapons factory in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital. Israel has also never acknowledged bombing a nuclear reactor in 2007 that was under construction in Syria.
While the Obama administration has been cautious about getting involved militarily in the Syria crisis, the Israeli attack this month underscored how the conflict has continued to draw in outside powers. Iran has been ferrying weapons to Damascus on flights that pass through Iraq’s airspace and has sent members of its paramilitary Quds Force to help the Assad government.
Thousands of Hezbollah fighters have gone to Syria to fight alongside Syrian government forces, as have Iraqi Shiite fighters, with the strong encouragement of Iran. Russia has continued to supply arms to the Syrian government.
On the other side of the conflict, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have provided weapons to the rebels. The United States has provided “nonlethal” military aid, including food and medical kits, and pledged to expand support to the armed wing of the opposition.
In late January, Israel carried out an airstrike against a weapons convoy that carried Russian-made SA-17 surface-to-air missiles, which Israeli officials believed were to be provided to Hezbollah.
In May, Israeli warplanes conducted two days of airstrikes. Among the targets was a shipment from Iran of Fateh-110 missiles, surface-to-surface missiles able to strike Tel Aviv from southern Lebanon. American officials say the Israelis carried out their airstrikes by launching air-to-ground weapons from planes outside of Syrian airspace.
The Russian decision to deliver the Yakhont missile prompted objections from the Pentagon. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned in May that it would “embolden the regime.”
For Israel, it represented a serious danger as well. In July 2006, an antiship missile fired by Hezbollah seriously damaged an Israeli ship off the coast of Lebanon.
The Yakhont system is far more sophisticated than the one used in the July 2006 attack, and in recent months there has been speculation that the Yakhont cache in Syria would be Israel’s next target.
 
Report: Israel Struck in Syria from the Sea


An Israeli submarine attacked an arms depot in Latakia last week, according to intelligence sources.
, Today, 5:58 AM

The recent strike on an arms depot in Latakia was a naval intervention and not an airstrike, Middle East intelligence sources told the Sunday Times newspaper.
According to the report, the attack was carried out using a Dolphin class submarine and was well-coordinated with the United States administration. If the report is correct, it would be Israel's first naval intervention in Syria.
The officials also told the Sunday Times that the attack targeted 50 Russian-made Yakhont anti-ship missiles.
Israel has purchased five Dolphin class submarines from Germany. Reports last year indicated that missiles with nuclear warheads were deployed on three of the submarines.
On Friday, officials told CNN that the series of explosions at Latakia port on July 5 were the result of airstrikes by Israeli warplanes.
The Syrian rebels said on Tuesday that “foreign forces” had destroyed advanced Russian anti-ship missiles in Latakia, hinting that Israel may have been behind the attack.
Qassem Saadeddine, a spokesman for the Free Syrian Army's Supreme Military Council, said that the rebels' intelligence network had identified newly supplied Russian Yakhont missiles being stored in the depots that were hit.
"It was not the FSA that targeted this," Saadeddine said. "It is not an attack that was carried out by rebels.
"This attack was either by air raid or long-range missiles fired from boats in the Mediterranean," he added.
Rebels described hearing and seeing huge blasts, the ferocity of which, they said, was beyond the firepower available to them but consistent with that of a modern military force like Israel's.
Israel has not officially commented on the incident. Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said on Tuesday that Israel does not interfere in the affairs of neighboring countries, but it does act when its red lines are crossed. Some interpreted these remarks as a hint that Israel may have been involved in a strike in Syria.
"We’ve established red lines regarding our interests and we maintain them. Whenever there is an explosion or attack over there, the Middle East blames us anyway,” Ya'alon said vaguely.
Meanwhile, an official Syrian source denied Saturday evening that the explosions were the result of an Israeli attack.
Al Ahlam, an Iranian television channel, quoted an official from Bashar Al-Assad's government who denied that Israel had bombed the harbor at Latakia.
 
Your two posts are contradictory , in the first one it says Israel's strike clear the way for western ships to deliver aid to Syrian rebels , in the second it says Israel has striked in "co-ordination" with the united states , it wouldn't be "coordination" but direct orders from the US , Israel is America's *****
 
I'm not sure if the source is entirely correct man... There's another report where Assad rejects this claim also one more report from FSA that it was done by Israel since they didn't attack or didnt have the fire power to do it
 
TE=BeyondHeretic;4523718]Your two posts are contradictory , in the first one it says Israel's strike clear the way for western ships to deliver aid to Syrian rebels , in the second it says Israel has striked in "co-ordination" with the united states , it wouldn't be "coordination" but direct orders from the US , Israel is America's *****[/QUOTE]



But in the both reports Israel's intention are same.... they're to prevent any shipment fall in the hands of Hezbollah terrorist...in 2006 they attacked a Israeli ship from Lebanon coast, so what makes you think this weapons won't fall in their hand..... it's both win win situation for Israel and west
 
This is an act of war, of course to israel and the US, it's only an act of war if they were the ones who were attacked. Some people are saying the US launched missiles from the sea and they want to shake up the story with a few reports contradicting each other in the media. Russia should start showing concern, Syria should reacquire these weapons immediately and send a dozen to Hezbollah in Lebanon as soon as possible. Through underground smuggling or someway to get them across.
 
Wasn't Assad saying that next time Israel will strike he will seriously retaliate? Time to put some money where his big mouth is :coffee:
 
and ofcourse we'll smack them to the ground.... Russia know very well Syria is the lost cause.... and ya sure arming a terrorist group and a guy who killing his own people is not an act of war.... Israel and Hezbollah is in war, there's no wrong in Israel striking its weapons

Terror blah blah blah blah, trying to justify Israel's aggression to neighboring countries through your stupid US and Israel hegemony. Of course it would be great if they reached Hezbollah, so now Lebanon can defend its reserves and protect its shore from the Israeli navy. You live in a world where only you and one other side see things from your POV. While everyone else doesn't. Specifically referring to the invading foreigners and the genocidal Americans. Foreigners can't claim self defense. Only an occupied people and the people indigenous to their land can.

Nothing israel has done was in self defense.
 
[QUATE=Hazzy997;4523889]Terror blah blah blah blah, trying to justify Israel's aggression to neighboring countries through your stupid US and Israel hegemony. Of course it would be great if they reached Hezbollah, so now Lebanon can defend its reserves and protect its shore from the Israeli navy. You live in a world where only you and one other side see things from your POV. While everyone else doesn't. Specifically referring to the invading foreigners and the genocidal Americans. Foreigners can't claim self defense. Only an occupied people and the people indigenous to their land can.
Nothing israel has done was in self defense.

I expect that from a terrorist supporter... and hell ya Israel's action is justified.... she's at war with Hezbollah... and no one is going to give a damn about your cry.... and FYI Lebanon people are sick and tired of Hezbollah dictating them... why don't you update your brain...[/QUOTE]

FYI, everyone here is sick of Israeli and US bullying and terrorism in the region. Prove to us that any of those weapons were going to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel should present proof to claim it was acting in order to prevent weapons transfer to a group it's at 'war' with. Those missiles were staying with Syria to defend Syria from Israeli naval or foreign attacks. You're a person who's probably never stepped foot in this region. Everyone wants Hezbollah to stay in this region. I never adopted that mentality by a few Gulf countries to be anti Hezbollah. Especially when those nations are friends of America and Israel. If anything, may God long Hezbollah's life and increase their firepower against the foreign project of israel. Hezbollah is here to stay, you and the other idiots who follow you thinking they're supporting justice don't realize it's what israel wants. No one wants to accept this Israeli occupation anymore. Long live the Resistiance.

But, since you're justifying these attacks, I'm sure that gives Russia the right to go and bomb Israeli German acquired Dolphin subs by claiming it may pose a threat to Russia. That should be a okay with you no doubt.
 

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