Syria threatens: We’re prepared for a battle with Israel

Syria’s defense minister, who toured south Syria today, said “the Syrian army today is stronger and determined to fight Israel.” This was the first reaction by a Syrian official since the attack that took place at the beginning of the week, and that was attributed to Israel . The IDF continues to boost its forces in the north for fear of retaliation, but insists that there is no concrete warning at this stage.

IDF boosts its forces in the north AP

For the first time since the assassination of the Iranian general and Hezbollah operatives in the Golan Heights at the beginning of the week, Syria threatens with retaliation: the Syrian defense minister visited today (Thursday) the army’s units operating at the southern part of the country and said that “the Syrian army today has more power, and it is more determined to fight the terrorists, headed by Israel.” The IDF continues to reinforce its forces in the north. 

Officials in the IDF made clear that the reinforcement along the border with Syria and Lebanon does not stem from concrete warnings, but is carries out as part of a deployment for different retaliation possibilities,  following the attack that was attributed to Israel.

Syria is threatening AP

As part of the reinforcement, increased traffic of soldiers and vehicles is expected on the northern road. The IDF decided it will not ban soldiers’ from taking their weekend leave this week.

 A letter  to Nasrallah: fight Israel together

Earlier today, Hezbollah showed a message it allegedly received from the head of the military wing of Hamas, Mohammad Deif.  In the letter, Deif calls on Nasrallah to join forces in the next battle with Israel. “All the resisting forces must join forces to fight the Zionist enemy and its allies’” he wrote. “Israel is the real enemy of the Muslim nation and all the guns should be pointed to it. The next battle should be managed together, so that the occupied land is hit by cross-fire.”

"we will fight Israel together"

The threatening message sent by Hamas seems to be part of an Iranian attempt to increase the level of threat on Israel by opening two fronts. Since the end of Operation Protective Edge and the aid it sent Hamas, the Iranian influence on Hamas has increased.

While there is concern in Israel from a reaction to the assassination, elements in Lebanon warned Nasrallah this morning not to retaliate from Lebanese territory. A member of the “Change and Reform” party,  Naamtallah Abi Nasr, headed by Michel Aoun, Nasrallah’s coalition partner since 2006, warned in an interview that “Hezbollah is intelligent enough to know where, how and when it should retaliate to the attack aimed at it in Kuneitra.