Pentagon Describes Russia's Actions in Syria as 'Provocative'

Russian forces in Palmyra, east of Homs (AFP)
Russian forces in Palmyra, east of Homs (AFP)
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Pentagon Describes Russia's Actions in Syria as 'Provocative'

Russian forces in Palmyra, east of Homs (AFP)
Russian forces in Palmyra, east of Homs (AFP)

US military officials have expressed concern about the increased risk of confrontation between US and Russian forces in Syria.

The commander of US Central Command (Centcom), General Erik Kurilla, said in a statement that his regional forces seek to avoid any miscalculated steps that would lead to unnecessary conflict.

"We seek to avoid miscalculation or a set of actions that could lead to unnecessary conflict: that remains our goal," Kurilla said in a statement.

He described Russia's recent actions as "provocative and escalatory," referring to the recent raid on al-Tanf.

The Wall Street Journal quoted Pentagon officials as saying there were fears of a clash with the Russians, accusing the Russian forces of "significant increase in the provocation" this month.

A US military official said that Russia launched a raid on sites in al-Tanf region last Wednesday, near the US base, which manages a mission to train and advise local fighters to combat the resurgence of ISIS.

After Russia informed the US through a communications line that it was carrying out the operation in response to a supposed attack against Syrian government forces, its military aircraft struck "a combat outpost at the garrison," a US military official said.

The official explained that two Russian Su-35 and Su-24 aircraft hit a military site, and although the raid did not target US forces, officials expressed concern that the attack constituted a challenge to the mission of US forces in Syria.

The newspaper reported that Russia sent two Su-34 warplanes to the area where the US forces conducted a raid in northeastern Syria to "apprehend an ISIS bomb maker." However, it quickly withdrew them after US F-16 fighters headed to the area.

US officials also discussed other incidents in the past two weeks without revealing their details.

About 200 US soldiers are stationed at al-Tanf base, out of the 900 soldiers deployed in northeastern Syria.

Russia withdrew several of its forces and military equipment from Syria after it invaded Ukraine, and experts warn of the "vacuum" that Iran could exploit to replace it.

Russia has escalated its interventions in locations close to the deployment of US forces to ensure that it can still carry out military operations in more than one place at the same time.

In 2016, Russian warplanes bombed al-Tanf base after two US Navy F-18 planes on patrol in the area left to refuel. The base was empty of US forces at the time and several Syrian fighters were killed, whom Russia described as terrorists.

In 2017, Russia issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the US to withdraw its personnel from the base, but Washington refused, and nothing happened.

However, the most dangerous incident between the Russian and the US forces was in 2018, after fighters of the Russian "Wagner" group advanced to eastern Syria and fired at the US forces.

They ignored the warnings of the US army, which asked them to leave. US troops then launched an attack against Russian forces, killing "a few hundred," according to former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The Russian military announced that it had nothing to do with the incident.



War Shakes Middle East Airports, Passengers Held Hostage

Passengers wait at Beirut airport amid disruptions caused by Israeli-Iranian conflict (EPA)
Passengers wait at Beirut airport amid disruptions caused by Israeli-Iranian conflict (EPA)
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War Shakes Middle East Airports, Passengers Held Hostage

Passengers wait at Beirut airport amid disruptions caused by Israeli-Iranian conflict (EPA)
Passengers wait at Beirut airport amid disruptions caused by Israeli-Iranian conflict (EPA)

The Israeli-Iranian war has severely disrupted air traffic across the Middle East, causing widespread airport closures and forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

Travelers have been left stranded or forced to reroute their journeys amid altered takeoff and landing schedules, with many airports affected by military use of their airspace by both Tel Aviv and Tehran for warplanes, missiles, and drones.

Thousands of passengers have had to substitute flights with land or sea travel to avoid danger or endure long waits for alternate air transport.

Since the Israeli airstrikes on Iran that began in the early hours of last Friday, followed by Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile attacks, the airspace over Israel, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq has been closed.

Aviation sources reported that more than 650 flights bound for Europe were canceled. Gulf and European carriers have suspended flights to countries caught in the conflict zone.

Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that airlines are now using safer flight routes, deliberately avoiding Iraqi, Syrian, Jordanian, and Lebanese airspace, as well as the fully closed skies of Israel and Iran.

Some carriers operating emergency flights to Beirut, Amman, and Egypt are following strict safety protocols.

Flights departing Beirut airport are routed westward over the Mediterranean Sea toward Cyprus and then Greece, before continuing to Europe or the Gulf, deliberately avoiding Lebanese, Syrian, and Iraqi airspace—a sharp contrast to pre-conflict routes.

Several Arab and European airlines, including Emirates, flydubai, Etihad, Air France, Transavia, Lufthansa, Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Pegasus, continue to suspend flights to the region. The disruption has hit operations at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, which experienced chaos in the initial days of the war and widespread passenger panic.

However, the airport has since begun stabilizing. Amin Jaber, Director General of Civil Aviation at Rafic Hariri Airport, said the facility “has overcome the initial disruption quickly by implementing swift solutions for stranded travelers.”

He added that a newly formed crisis management committee is closely monitoring risks hour by hour to keep flights clear of security threats.

Jaber confirmed that the conflict “has forced the crisis committee to adopt multiple flight paths for arrivals and departures at Rafic Hariri Airport.”

“Due to security concerns, we rely on the western runway, which is the safest, and use Cypriot airspace to steer aircraft away from missile threats. Whenever missile launches are detected, Lebanese airspace is immediately closed to all flights,” Jaber added.

The disruptions seen at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport mirror the wider chaos across the region’s airports. Jaber said all airlines operating arrivals and departures at Beirut have comprehensive risk assessments in place.

Beirut airport experienced significant turmoil during the first two days of the conflict, with hundreds of passengers forced to wait indefinitely after numerous flight cancellations and schedule changes.

Many opted to leave the airport and return to the city amid the uncertainty. Jaber noted that conditions have since improved both at Beirut and other airports that have partially suspended operations.

Before any civilian aircraft takes off or lands, airport authorities and airlines ensure no immediate threats jeopardize the safety of planes or passengers.

Former Middle East Airlines (MEA) pilot Mohammad Aziz told Asharq Al-Awsat that flight safety responsibility rests not with pilots alone, but with the risk assessment committees, civil aviation authorities, airport management, and air traffic control towers guiding pilots during flight.

Aziz revealed that planes are equipped with large fuel reserves allowing extended flight time to accommodate emergencies requiring route changes or longer airborne holding patterns.

Currently serving as a safety and security advisor to MEA’s chairman, Captain Aziz highlighted that Rafic Hariri Airport is among the least vulnerable to missile threats because its flight paths are directed west and north. He warned, however, that the greatest danger lies in flights over Syrian territory.

“Despite this,” Aziz said, “Beirut airport management exercises the utmost caution. The control tower and airport authorities remain on high alert, maintaining constant communication with pilots to reroute or divert flights to alternate airports if evolving conditions threaten aircraft and passengers.”