Russia Explains Failure in Responding to Israeli Raids in Syria

A United Nations vehicle in Quneitra, Syria, belonging to the occupied Golan on March 26, 2016 (Reuters)
A United Nations vehicle in Quneitra, Syria, belonging to the occupied Golan on March 26, 2016 (Reuters)
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Russia Explains Failure in Responding to Israeli Raids in Syria

A United Nations vehicle in Quneitra, Syria, belonging to the occupied Golan on March 26, 2016 (Reuters)
A United Nations vehicle in Quneitra, Syria, belonging to the occupied Golan on March 26, 2016 (Reuters)

A Russian military statement said that civil aviation over the Syrian airspace prevented regime forces from confronting Israeli raids on sites near Palmyra a few days ago.

Experts in Moscow have warned of the increased risk of Israeli offenses over Syrian territory.

The subject is likely to figure high on the list of topics Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss in his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett next week.

"On October 13, from 23:35 to 23:39, four F-16 tactical fighters of the Israeli Air Force entered Syrian airspace in the US-occupied al-Tanf zone in Homs Province and struck a phosphate ore processing plant in the Palmyra region," Rear Admiral Vadim Kulit, deputy head of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria, said at a briefing.

Kulit said the Syrian military, however, decided not to target the Israeli jets that carried out the strike in central Syria because there were two civilian airliners in the sky at the time.

"The Syrian military leadership decided not to use air defense systems, since at the time of the Israeli aviation attack, two civilian passenger aircraft were in the zone of destruction of the anti-aircraft systems," Kulit said.

This is the first time that the Russian army clarifies details about the reasons for the failure to respond to the Israeli raids. Over recent weeks, the Russian Ministry of Defense had issued several statements on the success of Russian-backed Syrian defenses in the face of Israeli raids.

Russian experts considered that talking about the dangers to civil aviation constitutes a prelude to Moscow's expansion of its campaigns against the continuation of Israeli raids on Syria.

For Moscow and Tel Aviv, Israeli raids in Syria are highly controversial. Last month, during Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid's visit to Moscow, the two sides agreed to activate military coordination in Syria.



Trump Victory Fuels Fears of Netanyahu’s Increased Freedom in Lebanon

Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)
Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)
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Trump Victory Fuels Fears of Netanyahu’s Increased Freedom in Lebanon

Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)
Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)

Lebanese are watching closely after Donald Trump’s election as US president, hoping his policies might bring solutions to regional crises and possibly halt wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Observers caution, however, that change won’t be immediate or at Israel’s expense; instead, they expect Israel could have more military leeway before peace efforts begin.

Trump didn’t outline his plans to end conflicts during his victory speech, only briefly mentioning the issue.

Fares Soeid, a former Lebanese MP, called Trump’s win a potential global turning point, particularly in conflict zones like Ukraine and the Middle East. Soeid believes Trump’s support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s far-right may intensify.

Soeid told Asharq Al-Awsat that Trump’s election could hasten military actions on the Lebanese-Israeli border, allowing Netanyahu more freedom to secure military objectives and strengthen Israel’s negotiating position.

He suggested key UN resolutions intended to control arms in Lebanon may lose focus, with the goal shifting to place all weapons under state control.

There is concern in Lebanon over any change to Resolution 1701, which maintains the ceasefire with Israel.

Soeid clarified that Trump might not scrap these resolutions outright but could push for tighter arms restrictions, ensuring only Lebanon’s government holds power over weapons.

He believes the US may aim to create a cohesive Lebanese leadership to enforce these measures, essentially enabling Netanyahu more flexibility in regional matters.

The US election drew intense interest in Lebanon, with citizens and officials closely tracking the campaigns and vote results, hoping for a positive shift.

Lebanese politician Khaldoun Sharif noted that Trump reached out to Lebanese Americans during his campaign, promising to bring peace to Lebanon quickly.

He sees Trump’s advisor, Lebanese-born Massad Boulos, as potentially instrumental in highlighting Lebanon’s needs to the new administration.

Sharif criticized the outgoing Democratic administration’s handling of conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, saying it failed to curb Netanyahu’s plans despite multiple ceasefire proposals.

As Trump prepares to take office on January 20, Sharif emphasized that Lebanon is eager for a complete ceasefire, adherence to Resolution 1701, a consensus-backed president, and a transparent, reform-oriented government to rebuild trust with Arab nations and the international community.

Sharif voiced disappointment that past US administrations have often overlooked Lebanon’s significance.

Now, amid a severe conflict, he hopes Trump will act swiftly to end the violence, support reconstruction, and restore Lebanon’s standing on the regional stage.