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Israeli Warplanes Pound Syria 12/10 06:19
Israel carried out a wave of heavy airstrikes across Syria as its troops
advanced deeper into the country, drawing to within 25 kilometers (15 miles) of
the capital, a Syrian opposition war monitor said Tuesday. Israel denied its
forces were advancing toward Damascus.
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) -- Israel carried out a wave of heavy airstrikes across
Syria as its troops advanced deeper into the country, drawing to within 25
kilometers (15 miles) of the capital, a Syrian opposition war monitor said
Tuesday. Israel denied its forces were advancing toward Damascus.
Associated Press reporters in Damascus heard heavy airstrikes overnight and
into Tuesday on the city and its suburbs. Photographs circulating online showed
destroyed missile launchers, helicopters and warplanes.
There was no immediate comment from the insurgent groups -- led by Hayat
Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS -- that have taken control of Damascus.
Israel had earlier seized a roughly 400-square-kilometer (155-square-mile)
buffer zone inside Syria that had been established after the 1973 Mideast war,
a move it said was taken to prevent attacks in the aftermath of the overthrow
of President Bashar Assad.
Israel has also said it is striking suspected chemical weapons sites and
heavy weapons to prevent them from falling into the hands of extremists.
Israeli officials rarely acknowledge individual strikes.
Israel has a long history of seizing territory during wars with its
neighbors and occupying it indefinitely, citing security concerns. Israel
captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in
a move not recognized internationally, except by the United States.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has closely
tracked the conflict since the civil war erupted nearly 14 years ago, said
Israel has carried out more than 300 airstrikes across the country since rebels
overthrew Assad over the weekend, ending his family's half-century rule.
The Observatory, and Beirut-based Mayadeen TV, which has reporters in Syria,
said Israeli troops are advancing up the Syrian side of the border with
Lebanon. It was not possible to independently confirm the reports.
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson, said "the reports
circulating in the media about the alleged advancement of Israeli tanks towards
Damascus are false." He said Israeli troops are stationed within the buffer
zone in order to protect Israel.
Israel's military had previously said troops would enter the buffer zone
"and several other places necessary for its defense."
Israeli media meanwhile reported that the air force was methodically
destroying Syria's military assets to ensure whoever rules the country next
would have to rebuild them.
The operations "have been systematically destroying all that remains of the
escaped tyrant's military," wrote Yossi Yehoshua, the military correspondent
for Israel's largest daily, Yediot Ahronot.
"Dozens upon dozens of targets, including arms depots of various kinds, have
been hit in waves of attacks so as to prevent them from falling into hostile
hands and from posing a threat to Israel." The air force "currently enjoys
complete freedom of action," he added.
Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have condemned Israel's incursion, accusing
it of exploiting the disarray in Syria and violating international law.
Turkey, which has been a main backer of the Syrian opposition to Assad, also
condemned Israel's advance. The Turkish Foreign Ministry accused Israel
of"displaying a mentality of an occupier" at a time when the possibility of
peace and stability had emerged in Syria.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Monday said Israel's incursion
constitutes a violation of the 1974 disengagement agreement and called on both
Israel and Syria to uphold it.
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