Is Israel exploiting Syria's instability to expand its military operations? | DW News

Israel has launched a string of attacks on Syrian military bases, saying the strikes are needed to prevent weapons from falling into hostile hands.

Israeli troops have also taken control of a demilitarized buffer zone separating the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Syria.

Israel has denied reports that its troops have moved beyond the buffer zone and close to Damascus.

We spoke to Michael Milshtein from the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel-Aviv University and journalist Ehud Yaari on Israel's attacks.

DW Correspondent Tania Krämer also joined us from the occupied Golan Heights, where Israeli ground forces have entered Syria.

#syria #israel #middleeast

00:00 Israel's attacks in Syria
03:00 Michael Milshtein discusses Israel's targets
09:25 Ehud Yaari updates on Israeli operations inside Syria
14:29 DW's Tania Krämer gives the latest from the Golan Heights

Follow DW on social media:

[VasileIuga]

Save the Kurds, especially the women who fought ISIS.
Turkey is occupying EU land in Cyprus and gives no rights to Kurds. Outrageous lack of backbone and leadership in EU.

[stanton]

Israel always gives the best housewarming gifts to its neighbors.

[Jeffreygoon]

When the fence falls down,
It's a carnival for the sheep,
It's also a feast for the wolves.

[eddavis]

People are celebrating Assad’s fall. Remember what happened after Hussein? After Gaddafi? Careful what you wish for…

[QueenetBowie]

The host basically saying “they were terrorists, but now we’re reevaluating it bc they may be less bad than Assad, but Israel is bombing their weapons just in case, but does the world want Israel bombing another country “just in case”, but they’re still technically terrorists….” Then summing it all up with “It’s a pickle.” Might be the most British thing ever.

[Aka-]

I wish the spirit of sinwar could see that he made Israel much much stronger and the resistance is falling apart

[Yobad-ub]

The golan heights was the initial buffer zone, now it's claimed as part of Israel

[lanzelloth]

"operation good neighbor" = when your neighbor (who was a bad guy) got evicted, so you vandalized the house, in case the new neighbor might be also a bad guy

[jonathanphillips]

l DO hope so... considering the massive uncertainty about whats 'coming down the track', they'd be MAD not to...

[jojodelima]

Former Assad military bases built by the Soviets. Weapons inside those bases were mostly used against the rebels, many supplied to Hezbollah and Hamas, could be smuggled out by remnants of the former regime

[yudodis]

If they don't destroy key equipment (aircraft, long-range projectiles, anti air) then it will be used against them. Try being diplomatic nestled between the countries that they are.

[firebladeflow]

i find it impressive, that they had all these targets figured out so quickly. Hats off to the mossad

[war-painter]

Those chemical weapons, those aircraft that went on bombing raids, those conventional weapon stockpiles, those naval harbors with warships: all these things contributed to murder, maim, repress and terrorize Syrian civilians for the last forty years. In the wrong hands, these weapons could terrorize Syrians and folks in the Middle East again. The situation is still very turbulent, as evidenced by videos. Many extremist groups vie for power right now. Taking over an airfield or a chemical weapons depot could give one radical extremist group an edge over the others. 

Why did russia think they could keep their navel base at Tartus and why didn’t the rebels seize or loot it? What kind of “deal” did RU make and with who? What’s going on with Kheimim Air Base? Better to have Israel bomb these important sites than have russia make some sneaky backroom deal to keep them operating to funnel arms and troops to Africa.

[leventguner]

Asking comments of a scholar from Tel Aviv is a great idea, keep going DW.

[Pifagorass]

Preemptively stealing neighbors lands 😮 similar to Russia in 2014 ...

[sabbyd]

Can't blame Israel for getting on the front foot here.

[damianok]

You're doing a great job Phillip 👏🏿

[saimjaved]

Painter also did H-Caust just in self defense
Right?

[RobertBrian-hc]

USA has regognised Golan Heights as Israeli territory, Syria started a war and lost the Golan Heights 1973

[nejlaalagic]

so if Israel attacks a neighbor and steals land it is a defensive move but when Russia does the same it is an offensive move? Im a little bit confused.