Israeli involvement in the Syrian Civil War

Israel's involvement in the Syrian Civil War has been somewhat limited, compared to the role of other regional and international actors. Israeli official position is neutrality in the conflict. The Minister of Defense of Israel claimed during 2015 that "...On a strategic level, in other words, we are not intervening on anyone's behalf."[1]

Background

Israel and Syria did not establish diplomatic relations since the creation of both countries in the mid-20th century. The countries fought three major wars, the 1948 Arab Israeli War, the Six-Day War in 1967 and the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Both countries were later also involved in the Lebanese Civil War and the 1982 Lebanon War.

Prior to the 1967 Six-Day War, there were intense hostilities centered on the Demilitarized Zones, water issues and both shelling and infiltration from the Golan Heights, which then were annexed by Israel. The demand to return the Golan Heights to Syria was stipulated in UN Security Council Resolution 242, but the situation was further cemented by Syria's largely unsuccessful 1973 Yom Kippur War, which lead to a ceasefire line that has largely been respected by both sides, though violated by the Hezbollah.

Incidents on the Israeli-Syrian ceasefire line and neutral zone

There have been clashes with Israeli soldiers on the ceasefire line in the Golan Heights,[2] leading the UN Security Council to express "grave concern at all violations of the Disengagement of Forces Agreement."[3] and generating fears of a Hezbollah invasion of Israel from there.[4][5] In late 2012, ceasefire line tensions between Israel and Syria escalated. On 25 September 2012, several mortar shells landed in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, landing in an open area adjacent to the ceasefire line fence.[6] Overall, throughout October and early November, several Syrian mortar and light artillery shells hit the Golan Heights. One mortar round may have been responsible for a brushfire that erupted in the area. On 3 November, three Syrian tanks entered the demilitarized zone in the central Golan Heights as a number of mortar shells were fired into the area.[7] On 5 November, an Israeli army jeep was damaged by Syrian army gunfire as it patrolled the ceasefire line.[8] On 11 November, after a Syrian 120 mm mortar round hit the eastern Golan Heights, the Israeli army responded by firing an electro-optic anti-tank missile in the direction of a Syrian mortar crew, but they deliberately missed them, intending it as a warning shot.[9] On 12 November, another Syrian mortar shell struck the Golan Heights, and Israeli tanks deployed along the ceasefire line responded by targeting two Syrian mortar launchers. A direct hit was confirmed.[10]

On March 2014, an Israeli patrol jeep landed on an explosive cargo near Majdal Shams during a daily patrol. In response, the IDF fired 155 mm artillery shells on a Syrian outpost, and later that day, the Israeli air force bombed more Syrian settlements. This had happened a few days after another similar clash near the border of Lebanon that had also been responded in artillery and tanks fire by Israel. Israel blamed Hezbollah for both incidents.

On Sunday, July 14, 2013, a shell fired from Syria, where insurgents and government troops are locked in fierce fighting, exploded in the Israeli-occupied part of the Golan Heights plateau.

In late August, Islamic militants began shelling the Golan Heights from Syria,[11] and fierce fighting along the Syrian/Golan front resulted in gunfire and rockets piercing the de facto border, sparking Israeli involvement.[12] The UN-only ceasefire line crossing was captured by Islamist troops, injuring two Israeli officers with mislead shootings. In the aftermath, UN troops fled their posts and crossed into Israeli-occupied territory.[13]

On September 23, 2014, an errant Syrian Air Force jet strayed over the Golan Heights, and was shot down by Israeli forces, the first time this has happened since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.[14]

Israeli airstrikes against targets in Syria

January 2013 Rif Dimashq airstrike

This event was an aerial attack in Rif Dimashq Governorate of Syria, made on a convoy, that was believed to be carrying advanced anti-aircraft weaponry from Syria to the Lebanese Shi'a militia Hezbollah. According to several media sources, Israeli forces conducted the strike, however Israel hasn't officially responded to the allegations. The convoy was attacked on January 31, 2013,[15] while parked at a facility of the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center, Syria's main research center on biological and chemical weapons, at Jamraya, several miles northwest of the Syrian capital of Damascus. In addition to Russian-made SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles, secondary explosions from the attacked munitions also damaged a building of the Scientific Studies and Research Center.[16][17][18][19] Satellite images taken a few days after the attack showed a scorched and blackened parking lot at the center, where the arms convoy was apparently hit.[20] Israel did not officially confirm responsibility for the bombing, but Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak suggested that it could have been behind the attack, saying on 3 February, "I cannot add anything to what you've read in the newspapers about what happened in Syria several days ago, but I keep telling, frankly, that we've said – and that's another proof that when we say something we mean it – we say that we don't think that it should be allowable to bring advanced weapon systems into Lebanon."[21]

May 2013 Rif Dimashq airstrikes

The May 2013 airstrikes were a series of aerial attacks made on targets in Syria on 3 and 5 May 2013.[22] The 3 May attack was on targets at Damascus International Airport.[23][24] The 5 May attacks were on targets at Jamraya, and the Al-Dimas and Maysalun areas in Rif Dimashq (Damascus Countryside).[25] Although officially Israel neither confirmed nor denied its involvement, former Mossad director Danny Yatom and former government member Tzachi Hanegbi assumed Israel's role behind the attack.[26] Syrian official sources denied any attack on its soil on May 3, but did accuse Israel over May 5 events.

July 2013 Latakia airstrike

According to anonymous U.S. officials, Israel launched July 2013 Latakia airstrike. It targeted Russian-made Yakhont anti-ship missiles near the city of Latakia, and killed several Syrian troops.[27]

October 2013 Latakia airstrike

Israel is believed to have carried out another raid on October 30, 2013. The attack happened at an air defense site in Snawbar, 10 miles south of Latakia.[28]

January 2014 Latakia airstrike

Syrian opposition sources, as well as Lebanese sources, reported that another strike happened in Latakia on January 26, 2014. The target was S-300 missiles.[29] It was reported that Israeli aircraft carried out two airstrikes against Hezbollah facilities in Lebanon near the border with Syria on February 24, 2014, killing several militants. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed the attack targeted a Hezbollah missile base.[30]

December 2014 Rif Dimashq airstrikes

In December 2014, Haaretz reported that a series of Israeli airstrikes struck Damascus.[31] The actions involved were a series of aerial attacks made on targets in Syria on 7 December 2014. The targets were a military area of Al-Dimas and the Damascus International Airport area.[32] According to the SOHR, the attack near the Damascus International Airport targeted a depot for newly arrived weapons at a military facility that is part of the airport. The attack at Al-Dimas targeted weapons depots in hangars around a small air base.[33] Ten explosions were heard at Al-Dimas and the Syrian Army stated that some installations were damaged.[34] According to the SOHR, three Hezbollah members were killed by the strikes in Al-Dimas.[35] Syria claimed that an UAV was shot down.[36]

January 2015 Mazraat Amal incident

On 18 January 2015, Israeli helicopters attacked a Hezbollah's convoy in the Syrian controlled part of Golan Heights, killing six prominent members of Hezbollah and six IRGC members, including Brig. Gen. Muhammad Ali Allahdadi.[37][38][39][40][41][42]

Then, on 27 January, two projectiles fired from Syria landed in the Golan Heights without causing injuries or damage. The IDF returned artillery fire toward the source of the projectiles, saying it scored a direct strike against the source of enemy fire.[43] the following day, Hezbollah fired an anti-tank missile at an Israeli military convoy in the Israeli-occupied Shebaa farms near the Lebanon border, killing two soldiers and wounding seven. In response, Israel fired at least 50 artillery shells across the border into southern Lebanon, in which a Spanish UN peacekeeper was killed.[44][45]

April 2015 airstrikes

It was reported that there were airstrikes against Hezbollah positions in Syria, near the border with Lebanon, in late April 2015.[46]

Subsequent airstrikes

On 29 July 2015, Israeli airplanes reportedly struck a vehicle located in a Druse village in southwestern Syria, killing Hezbollah men and a pro-Assad militiaman.[47] A second airstrike targeted a military base along the Syrian-Lebanese border belonging to a pro-Syrian Palestinian faction.[48]

On 20 and 21 August 2015, after four rockets hit the Golan Heights and Upper Galilee, Israel launched airstrikes in Syria, killing several militants.[49]

According to Syrian media, on October 31, 2015, Israeli aircraft attacked numerous Hezbollah targets in southern Syria, close to the border with Lebanon in the Qalamoun Mountains region. Estimated targets included a weapons convoy destined for Hezbollah.[50] It was reported another Israeli airstrike near Damascus airport on November 11[51] that targeted Hezbollah weapons warehouses.[52]

The Syrian opposition reported an Israeli airstrike in the Qualamoun area of the Syria-Lebanon border on 23 November 2015. According to these sources, the strike killed 13 Syrian troops and Hezbollah fighters, and left dozens wounded, including four seriously. The Qualamoun region has been a major transit point for Hezbollah fighters and other logistical equipment to and from Syria.[53] According to Syrian sources, Israeli aircraft attacked again Syrian army and Hezbollah targets in the area around Qalamoun on November 28, causing dead and wounded among Hezbollah fighters.[54]

On 20 December 2015, an explosion in a six-story residential building of Jaramana killed eight Syrian nationals, among them Hezbollah field commanders. Hezbollah claimed the building was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike. It was reported that Samir Kuntar was among those killed.[55]

Weapons to rebels

In late April 2016, the security forces of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) apprehended a vehicle loaded with a large amount of Israeli-manufactured weapons in Syria’s southern As Swaida’a governorate.[56]

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ "Three mortar shells from Syria land in Israeli Golan Heights". The Jerusalem Post – JPost.com.
  3. ↑ "UN concerned Syria war spilling over into Golan". The Jerusalem Post – JPost.com.
  4. ↑ "Hezbollah main suspect in Golan Heights rocket attack". The Daily Star Newspaper – Lebanon.
  5. ↑ "Golan: a new front in Hezbollah-Israel war?". The Daily Star Newspaper – Lebanon.
  6. ↑ "Mortar shells land in northern Golan Heights". Ynetnews. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  7. ↑ "3 Syrian tanks enter demilitarized zone in Golan Heights". Ynetnews. 3 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  8. ↑ "IDF jeep hit by Syrian gunfire; none injured". Ynetnews. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  9. ↑ "Israeli army fires 'warning shots' at Syria". Al Jazeera. 11 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  10. ↑ "IDF retaliates against Syrian mortar fire". Ynetnews. 12 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  11. ↑ "Rockets from Syria land in Golan Heights after Lebanese Katyusha attack". Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  12. ↑ "Heavy clashes in Syria's Golan Heights". The Daily Star Newspaper – Lebanon. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "UN troops under fire in Syria said to be fleeing to Israel". Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "Philippines Pulls Troops From Zone Near Syria". The New York Times. 24 September 2014.
  15. ↑ "Israeli officials declined to comment on the reports."
  16. ↑ Ernesto Londoño and Joby Warrick, Israeli airstrike in Syria targeted a shipment of weapons, 2 U.S. officials say. Washington Post. February 4, 2013.
  17. ↑ Assad fumes as Israel admits Syria air strike. The Express Tribune. February 4, 2013.
  18. ↑ Israeli raid in Syria reportedly damaged research site. The Times Of Israel. February 4, 2013.
  19. ↑ Sanger, David E.; Schmitt, Eric; Rudoren, Jodi (February 3, 2013). "Israeli strike into Syria said to damage research site". The New York Times. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  20. ↑ Image indicates Syria building unscathed by Israel strike. Reuters. February 6, 2013
  21. ↑ "Israeli defense minister suggests role in Syria airstrike". CNN. February 4, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Turkey condemns Israeli air strikes in Syria". Reuters. 7 May 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  23. ↑ Anne Barnard, Michael R. Gordon and Jodi Rudoren (4 May 2013). "Israel targeted Iranian missiles in Syria attack". New York Times. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  24. ↑ Barnett, David (16 May 2013). "Satellite imagery of Israeli airstrike at Damascus airport released". Threat Matrix. Public Multimedia Inc. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  25. ↑ Evans, Dominic; Holmes, Oliver (5 May 2013). "Israel strikes Syria, says targeting Hezbollah arms". Reuters. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  26. ↑ "Israel: Air strikes were 'against Hezbollah and not the Syrian regime'". 2013-05-06. Retrieved 2013-06-01.
  27. ↑ "Report: Israel behind recent strike on Syria missile depot, US officials say". Haaretz. 12 July 2013.
  28. ↑ Israel blamed for airstrikes at Syrian missile base". Christian Science Monitor. 31 October 2013.
  29. ↑ Israeli planes said to hit missile site in Syria The Times of Israel. 27 January 2014
  30. ↑ Report: Hezbollah militants killed in Israeli strike Yedioth Ahronoth. 24 February 2014
  31. ↑ "Syria Reports New Strikes From Israel Near Capital". Haaretz. 8 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  32. ↑ "Syria Reports New Strikes From Israel Near Capital". New York Times. 7 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  33. ↑ "Syria Reports New Strikes From Israel Near Capital". Yahoo news. 7 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  34. ↑ "Syria Reports New Strikes From Israel Near Capital". BBC. 7 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  35. ↑ "SOHR was informed that..". 8 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  36. ↑ "Срочное сообщение. Израиль нанёс удары по целям в Сирии". anna-news.info.
  37. ↑ "Report: Six Iranians killed in Israeli strike in Syria, including Revolutionary Guards general". Jerusalem Post. 19 January 2015.
  38. ↑ "Six Iranians, including a general, killed in Israeli strike". Times of Israel. 19 January 2015.
  39. ↑ "Israel strike on Syria 'also killed six Iranians'". AFP. 19 January 2015.
  40. ↑ "Region on edge after Israel's deadly strike". Daily Star. 2015-01-19.
  41. ↑ "Report: Six Iranians killed in Israeli strike in Syria, including Revolutionary Guards general". Jerusalem Post. 2015-01-19.
  42. ↑ "Iranian general killed in Israeli attack". Al Jazeera. 2015-01-19. Retrieved 2015-01-19.
  43. ↑ "Two projectiles fired from Syria land in Golan Heights, IDF returns fire". Jerusalem Post. 2015-01-27.
  44. ↑ "Two Israeli Soldiers Killed in Attack Claimed by Lebanon’s Hezbollah". The Wall Street Journal. 28 January 2015.
  45. ↑ "Two Israeli soldiers killed in Hezbollah missile attack". Al Jazeera. 28 January 2015.
  46. ↑ "Israel reportedly hits Hezbollah, Assad targets in Syria". The Times of Israel.
  47. ↑ "Report: IAF strike in Syria targeted Hezbollah members and fighters under Lebanese terrorist Kuntar". Jerusalem Post.
  48. ↑ "Second reported IAF strike: Damascus says Israel strikes pro-Syrian Palestinian militia". Jerusalem Post.
  49. ↑ "IAF strikes in Syria, kills rocket launchers". Ynet News.
  50. ↑ "Report: Israeli Air Force attacked Hezbollah targets in Syria". Jerusalem Post.
  51. ↑ "Syrian media reports Israeli airstrike near Damascus airport". Jerusalem Post.
  52. ↑ "'Hezbollah weapons warehouses were the target of Wednesday's Israeli airstrikes in Syria'". Jerusalem Post.
  53. ↑ "Syrian opposition: IAF struck Hezbollah, regime targets near Syria-Lebanon border". Jerusalem Post.
  54. ↑ "Report: Israel Air Force strikes targets in Syria near Lebanese border". Jerusalem Post.
  55. ↑ "Hezbollah: Samir Kuntar killed in Israeli airstrike on Damascus - Middle East News". Haaretz.com. Retrieved 2015-12-20.
  56. ↑ https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrias-security-forces-confiscate-huge-amount-israeli-ammo/ | Al-Masdar News
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