Monitors Report Israeli Air Strike against Iranian Proxies in Syria

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the London-based group that has monitored fighting in Syria since the beginning of the civil war in 2011, is reporting a fierce Israeli airstrike against Iranian proxy-fighters and possibly actual Iranian troops Saturday morning. The Observatory reported that there were deaths but so far details have not been available. Some of those dead are believed to be Iranian. Three targets in Hama province were struck, including a military academy, a military position and a number of buildings including a Syrian missile factory of benefit to Iran and Hizbullah. Once again the Israeli –although so far not acknowledged by Jerusalem – fighters launch strikes against ostensibly Syrian targets have some link to Damascus’s relationship with Tehran. Israeli officials have warned numerous times that a strong Iranian military presence next door in Syria will not be tolerated. By its own admission, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes at targets that aid the Iranian military presence in Syria and it appears that Russian President Vladimir Putin is allowing Israel to pursue its mission in Syria.