Israel Resumes Campaign to Hinder ‘Iranian Entrenchment’ In Syria

Israeli soldiers walk beside mobile artillery units near the city of Katzrin in the Golan Heights March 19, 2014. (Reuters)
Israeli soldiers walk beside mobile artillery units near the city of Katzrin in the Golan Heights March 19, 2014. (Reuters)
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Israel Resumes Campaign to Hinder ‘Iranian Entrenchment’ In Syria

Israeli soldiers walk beside mobile artillery units near the city of Katzrin in the Golan Heights March 19, 2014. (Reuters)
Israeli soldiers walk beside mobile artillery units near the city of Katzrin in the Golan Heights March 19, 2014. (Reuters)

Syrian Presidential Advisor Bouthaina Shaaban praised the role of late commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, in each of Iran, Syria, Iraq and Yemen, describing him as the owner of “strategic thinking that undermines the enemy’s strategy.”

Shaaban was speaking during a ceremony held by the Iranian embassy in Damascus on the first anniversary of Soleimani’s killing in a US strike in Baghdad in January 2020.

The ceremony was attended by Iranian ambassador to Damascus, Jawad Turkabadi, and a large number of Syrian officials and representatives of Palestinian organizations in the Syrian capital.

Meanwhile, the official Syrian TV said that Israel struck targets in southern Syria on Wednesday, the third attack of its kind in around 10 days, Reuters reported.

A military spokesman quoted by Reuters said missiles flying over the Golan Heights targeted several locations and air defenses downed several missiles.

“Our air defenses responded to an aerial Israeli aggression... on some targets in the southern region,” state media quoted a Syrian army spokesman as saying.

According to the news agency, two military defectors said the strikes hit the Kisswa area in the southern outskirts of the capital Damascus and military bases used by Lebanon’s Hezbollah group.

Israeli military officials have said in recent months that Israel would escalate its campaign against the Iranian presence in Syria, according to Reuters.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the Israeli raids targeted sites where “Iranian militias and the Lebanese Hezbollah” were stationed, which resulted in “deaths and injuries.”

Reuters noted that while no immediate comment was made by an Israeli military spokesman, Israel’s Defense Force Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi said last month the missile strikes had “slowed down Iran’s entrenchment in Syria”.



Hamas Sources: Trump’s Displacement Remarks Inconsistent with US Messages

US President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in Washington on Monday. (Reuters)
US President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in Washington on Monday. (Reuters)
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Hamas Sources: Trump’s Displacement Remarks Inconsistent with US Messages

US President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in Washington on Monday. (Reuters)
US President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in Washington on Monday. (Reuters)

US President Donald Trump’s recent comments about the war in Gaza have sparked cautious optimism for a potential ceasefire, while also raising serious concerns. During his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, Trump said he expects the conflict to end “soon,” adding: “I want the war in Gaza to stop.”

However, Trump reignited controversy by referencing a proposal he once floated early in his presidency: relocating the Palestinians from Gaza and placing the enclave under US control.

While Hamas has not issued an official response, sources within the Palestinian group told Asharq Al-Awsat that Trump’s statements are inconsistent with what is being conveyed behind the scenes.

“These remarks don’t align with what’s being shared with Hamas leadership or mediators,” they said.

They pointed to a shift in US policy and noted that recent American positions conveyed through intermediaries show a more measured approach. They also highlighted strong Arab opposition to any forced displacement from Gaza, which they say has contributed to Washington distancing itself from such ideas - regardless of Trump’s public rhetoric.

The meeting between Trump and Netanyahu also touched on the issue of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Netanyahu said efforts to reach a new agreement were underway, while Trump confirmed that discussions about a new ceasefire are in progress, though he cautioned that securing the hostages’ release could be “a long process.”

Hamas sources confirmed the movement has received a new Egyptian proposal, which has also been shared with Israel, the United States, and other mediators. They linked Trump’s remarks to recent intensified mediation efforts involving Washington.

Trump’s revival of the Gaza relocation idea was interpreted by some observers as a response to questions from Israeli journalists, rather than a serious policy stance. Hamas sources downplayed the significance of the statement, suggesting it did not reflect current US efforts on the ground.

Meanwhile, Arab foreign ministers recently presented a unified plan in Doha to US envoy Steve Witkoff, centered on Gaza’s reconstruction and governance - without displacing its residents. The plan was reportedly well-received and seen as a foundation for future efforts to resolve the conflict.