Report: Syria, Hezbollah and Iran plan a joint operation against rebels

The rebel forces AP/Channel 2 News

The Lebanese newspaper Al-Safir reports that the Syrian army together with Hezbollah forces and volunteers from The Revolutionary Guards are planning a joint military operation in southern Syria. According to the report, the forces main suspect are areas which were recently occupied by the rebels.

Combining forces to fight the rebels and demonstrate their presence Vis-à-vis Israel?

The Lebanese newspaper Al-Safir reported today (Monday) that President Assad’s army intends to launch an extensive operation in southern Syria in order to restore control over areas occupied by rebels. It appears that the Syrian army will not fight alone: According to a report, the Syrian army’s operation will be backed by Hezbollah forces and volunteers from The Revolutionary Guard of Iran.

According to the report, the forces are expected to enter the territories which were occupied by the Syrian opposition groups, in order to regain control in the villages around Quneitra and prevent access of the rebels to the Syrian capital, Damascus.

The report also claims the joint operation may be a kind of reaction to Israel's alleged attack last month, which killed an elite Hezbollah fighter -  Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of late Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyah, as well as a general in The Revolutionary Guards.

The objective of the joint operation is to return control to Assad’s strategic areas, which according to reports, Israel is conducting aerial sorties in, for the past few weeks.