Russia Steps Up Rhetoric In Response to Israeli Raids in Syria

Missile fire is seen from Damascus, Syria (File photo: Reuters)
Missile fire is seen from Damascus, Syria (File photo: Reuters)
TT
20

Russia Steps Up Rhetoric In Response to Israeli Raids in Syria

Missile fire is seen from Damascus, Syria (File photo: Reuters)
Missile fire is seen from Damascus, Syria (File photo: Reuters)

The Russian Defense Ministry issued statements on the recent Israeli raids on Syria, which carried unprecedented indications of a change in Moscow's response to the "continuous attacks on Syrian sovereignty."

The Ministry, which never previously commented on Israeli raids, issued two separate statements over the past few days after Israel targeted a research center in Aleppo and a site for Iranian forces in al-Qusayr.

The statements addressed the success of the Syrian air defenses in confronting the two attacks and the missiles.

The deputy head of the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria, Vadim Kolet, said that two Israeli F-16 fighters launched from Lebanese airspace four guided missiles directed at sites in Homs Governorate.

All the missiles were destroyed by systems of the Syrian Air Defense Forces, he announced.

The Russian Center for Reconciliation announced that the Syrian air defenses had shot down 7 of the 8 missiles during the Israeli raid on July 19th.

A well-informed Russian source told Asharq Al-Awsat that this is directly related to the talks launched with the United States following the first summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden last month.

Moscow received a confirmation that Washington does not welcome the continuous Israeli raids, according to the source.

He also explained that the rhetoric was escalated against any Israeli military action targeting Syria's sovereignty, and in violation of international resolutions.

The fact that all the launched missiles were destroyed indicates a fundamental change in handling this issue, he believes.

The source added that Israel's air force has not entered the Syrian airspace and carries out its attacks from neighboring lands, but the attacks are no longer effective because the Syrian anti-aircraft systems have been enhanced, and Moscow provided Damascus with air defense equipment.

The recent developments reflect a shift in how Moscow addresses the Israeli attacks and indicate that Moscow has "run out of patience" because Tel Aviv continues to ignore Russian calls to set clear rules.

The Russian source believes there are political developments and opening channels of dialogue with the US removed a significant obstacle, noting that lack of communication had previously complicated the matters with Washington.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli attacks, which targeted some areas in the al-Qusayr region in central Syria.

The Ministry affirmed that the repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian lands, which coincided with terrorist attacks on the countryside of Aleppo, come in the implementation of continued geopolitical conspiracy strategies against Syria.

"Syria will not hesitate to exercise its right in defending territorial integrity and sovereignty."

The statement concluded by saying that Syria is a founding member of the UN and believes in the role of international legitimacy.

It demands the Security Council to assume its responsibilities in the framework of the UN Charter, most importantly is the maintenance of international peace and security.

Syria calls on the UN to hold all parties that support terrorism and launch attacks on its sovereignty accountable for their terrorism and crimes against its people, all of which form flagrant violations of the Charter of the UN and the provisions of international law and Security Council resolutions.



Hamas Says it's Open to Gaza Truce but Stops Short of Accepting a Trump-backed Proposal

A Palestinian girl stands atop the rubble of the Al-Aimawi family’s home that was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in Al-Zawaideh, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
A Palestinian girl stands atop the rubble of the Al-Aimawi family’s home that was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in Al-Zawaideh, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
TT
20

Hamas Says it's Open to Gaza Truce but Stops Short of Accepting a Trump-backed Proposal

A Palestinian girl stands atop the rubble of the Al-Aimawi family’s home that was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in Al-Zawaideh, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
A Palestinian girl stands atop the rubble of the Al-Aimawi family’s home that was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in Al-Zawaideh, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Hamas suggested Wednesday that it was open to a ceasefire agreement with Israel, but stopped short of accepting a US-backed proposal announced by President Donald Trump hours earlier, insisting on its longstanding position that any deal bring an end to the war in Gaza.

Trump said Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. The US leader has been increasing pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas to broker a ceasefire, and hostage agreement and bring about an end to the war.

Trump said the 60-day period would be used to work toward ending the war — something Israel says it won't accept until Hamas is defeated. He said that a deal might come together as soon as next week.

But Hamas' response, which emphasized its demand that the war end, raised questions about whether the latest offer could materialize into an actual pause in fighting, according to The AP news.

Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said that the militant group was “ready and serious regarding reaching an agreement.”

He said Hamas was “ready to accept any initiative that clearly leads to the complete end to the war.”

A Hamas delegation is expected to meet with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the proposal, according to an Egyptian official. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, because he wasn't authorized to discuss the talks with the media.

Disagreement on how the war should end Throughout the nearly 21-month-long war, ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have repeatedly faltered over whether the war should end as part of any deal.

Hamas said in a brief statement Wednesday that it had received a proposal from the mediators and is holding talks with them to “bridge gaps” to return to the negotiating table to try to reach a ceasefire agreement.

Hamas has said that it's willing to free the remaining 50 hostages, less than half of whom are said to be alive, in exchange for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war.

Israel says it will only agree to end the war if Hamas surrenders, disarms and exiles itself, something the group refuses to do.

An Israeli official said that the latest proposal calls for a 60-day deal that would include a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a surge in humanitarian aid to the territory. The mediators and the US would provide assurances about talks to end the war, but Israel isn't committing to that as part of the latest proposal, the official said.

The official wasn't authorized to discuss the details of the proposed deal with the media and spoke on condition of anonymity.

It wasn't clear how many hostages would be freed as part of the agreement, but previous proposals have called for the release of about 10.

Israel has yet to publicly comment on Trump's announcement. On Monday, Trump is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, days after Ron Dermer, a senior Netanyahu adviser, held discussions with top US officials about Gaza, Iran and other matters.

Trump issues another warning On Tuesday, Trump wrote on social media that Israel had "agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War.”

“I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” he said.

Trump’s warning may find a skeptical audience with Hamas. Even before the expiration of the war’s longest ceasefire in March, Trump has repeatedly issued dramatic ultimatums to pressure Hamas to agree to longer pauses in the fighting that would see the release of more hostages and a return of more aid for Gaza’s civilians.

Still, Trump views the current moment as a potential turning point in the brutal conflict that has left more than 57,000 dead in the Palestinian territory.

Gaza's Health Ministry said the death toll passed the 57,000 mark Tuesday into Wednesday, after hospitals received 142 bodies overnight.