Israeli warplanes 'launch air strike in Syria'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Israeli warplanes have launched an air strike inside Syria from Lebanese air space, US officials have said. Unnamed officials told media outlets the likely target was a weapons site. Some reports suggest the arms were to be sent to Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Israel has refused to confirm the strike, though it has launched strikes in Syria as recently as January.
Meanwhile, President Obama says he does not foresee sending US troops to tackle Syria's civil war. Western intelligence agencies have raised concerns that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons, something which the US has termed a "red line".  Mr Obama reaffirmed on Friday that clear evidence of chemical weapons would be a "game changer", but that any response would not be rushed.

Analysts say the US and its allies are discussing possible action including air strikes to enforce a no-fly zone, but Syria's ally Russia is strongly opposed to such measures. Tens of thousands have been killed in two years of unrest in Syria. On Saturday, activists said government forces had killed a number of people in the coastal town of Baniyas, days after more than 40 people were killed in a nearby village. The activists said hundreds of people are trying to flee the area.

US officials say the Israeli air strike happened overnight Thursday into Friday, but the aircraft did not enter Syrian airspace.  Lebanon's army released a statement saying Israeli warplanes had flown over Lebanese airspace for hours on Friday.  Lebanese President Michel Suleiman denounced the flights and accused Israel of breaking international law. The statements from Lebanon did not mention possible strikes against Syria. An Israeli embassy spokesman in Washington declined to comment on the air strike claims. But the spokesman added: "What we can say is that Israel is determined to prevent the transfer of chemical weapons or other game-changing weaponry by the Syrian regime to terrorists, especially to Hezbollah in Lebanon."

The Syrian ambassador to the UN said he was not aware of any Israeli attack against his country.
Earlier this week, Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon acknowledged that Israel had launched an airstrike in January against a target inside Syria.  He said that the transfer of sophisticated weapons to radical militant groups like Hezbollah was a red line for Israel, and Israel had acted when it was crossed.

 President Obama said he did not foresee "American boots on the ground in Syria". During a visit to Costa Rica on Friday, Mr Obama told reporters that as a commander-in-chief he could rule nothing out "because circumstances change". He also said he had already consulted with Middle Eastern leaders and they agreed with him.  Mr Obama reiterated that there was evidence that chemical weapons had been used in Syria, but that "we don't know when, where or how". He stressed that if strong evidence was found it would be "a game changer for us" because "there is a possibility that it (weapons) lands in the hands of organizations like Hezbollah" in neighbouring Lebanon.

Earlier this week, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel became the first senior US official to state publicly that Washington was reconsidering its opposition to supplying weapons to rebel forces.
"Arming the rebels - that's an option," he told reporters. "You look at and rethink all options. It doesn't mean you do or you will. These are options that must be considered with the international community."

With no appetite for direct military intervention, many US officials increasingly feel that arming the rebels is now the least-worst option. US allies such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia are already providing weapons to various groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces. The pressure to act has intensified in recent days after emerging evidence that Syria has used chemical weapons such as the nerve gas sarin.

More than 70,000 people have been killed since fighting between forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebels erupted in March 2011.