Multiple strikes hit Damascus airport base used by Iranian-backed forces - Syrian rebel sources

[webfact]

Multiple strikes hit Damascus airport base used by Iranian-backed forces - Syrian rebel sources

REUTERS
 

AMMAN (Reuters) - Multiple dawn strikes hit an ammunition depot complex near Damascus airport used by Iranian-backed forces supplied via an air corridor between the Syrian capital and Tehran, two senior rebel sources operating in the Damascus areas said.

 

They said their monitors operating in the eastern rural outskirts of the capital where the rebels are based had tracked at least five strikes that hit the airport compound at dawn.

 

They said the attack caused a fire with flames appearing to come from a closed military area of the sprawling complex widely known to be used by Tehran to supply weapons by air to Iranian-backed militias operating alongside the Syrian army. It was not clear if it was a missile or an air strike, they said.

 

(Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-04-27

 

 

[pkspeaker]

it was probably a cruise missile.  *it seems* that since Iran announced that 'it had removed codes' from syria's s-300 SAM's; Israeli jets have stayed close to the border.. will see if israel try's to use the F-35..

[sanukjim]

4 hours ago, pkspeaker said:

it was probably a cruise missile.  *it seems* that since Iran announced that 'it had removed codes' from syria's s-300 SAM's; Israeli jets have stayed close to the border.. will see if israel try's to use the F-35..

I would love to see Israel's F35 up against those updated F-4s and f-14 s that Iran is using as their front line fighters.

[Fulwell53]

1 hour ago, sanukjim said:

I would love to see Israel's F35 up against those updated F-4s and f-14 s that Iran is using as their front line fighters.

Thats the thing though isnt it?

Those that like to see others fighting with lethal weaponry have little or no idea what the reality is .

Armchair jingoists.

The middle east is already a powder keg. People salivating at Israel reentering the fray against Iran arent thinking things through.

More death and destruction mainly perpetrated on the weak and innocent.

A worsening of the refugee crisis.

Iran welcoming an opportunity to unleash its nuclear arsenal.

Oh but hey Israel gets to show Iran who's boss in a skirmish between anti aircraft missiles vs f35's.

Computer games and their players..great bunch of lads.

 

 

[ilostmypassword]

1 minute ago, Fulwell53 said:

Thats the thing though isnt it?

Those that like to see others fighting with lethal weaponry have little or no idea what the reality is .

Armchair jingoists.

The middle east is already a powder keg. People salivating at Israel reentering the fray against Iran arent thinking things through.

More death and destruction mainly perpetrated on the weak and innocent.

A worsening of the refugee crisis.

Iran welcoming an opportunity to unleash its nuclear arsenal.

Oh but hey Israel gets to show Iran who's boss in a skirmish between anti aircraft missiles vs f35's.

Computer games and their players..great bunch of lads.

 

 

"Iran welcoming an opportunity to unleash its nuclear arsenal." ????????????

[Fulwell53]

Just now, ilostmypassword said:

"Iran welcoming an opportunity to unleash its nuclear arsenal." ????????????

They have a nuclear capability which is why obama tried to get them to tone it down.

ISRAEL having a pop gives them a reason to use it.

??????????????????

[ilostmypassword]

Just now, Fulwell53 said:

They have a nuclear capability which is why obama tried to get them to tone it down.

ISRAEL having a pop gives them a reason to use it.

??????????????????

Even the U.S. State Dept under Trump says Iran has been abiding by the rules of the nuclear agreement which means that they don't have nuclear capability.

[pkspeaker]

2 hours ago, sanukjim said:

I would love to see Israel's F35 up against those updated F-4s and f-14 s that Iran is using as their front line fighters.

You will not see that unless israel fly's all the way to Iran.  The bigger threat is Syria's S-300 surface-to-air missiles that they obtained from Russia.  Iran recently claimed that they had discovered that Russia had inserted codes into the Syrian S-300's that were making the israeli jets appear to be 'friendly' so that they do not get targeted on these frequent air raids they fly over Syria; And that they (Iranian technicians) have now removed them from the S-300's electronics.  Since they made that announcement I have been watching to see if Israel fly's air raids into Syria, so far there had just been 1 near the border and now this one.  

If they are now being forced to use cruise missiles-that would mean their options have now limited since cruise missile strikes are not as effective as F-15, F-16 strikes, especially if the Iranian proxies dig their weapons in.  Not much of a bunker buster can be delivered with a cruise missile.

[Morch]

9 hours ago, pkspeaker said:

it was probably a cruise missile.  *it seems* that since Iran announced that 'it had removed codes' from syria's s-300 SAM's; Israeli jets have stayed close to the border.. will see if israel try's to use the F-35..

 

2 hours ago, pkspeaker said:

You will not see that unless israel fly's all the way to Iran.  The bigger threat is Syria's S-300 surface-to-air missiles that they obtained from Russia.  Iran recently claimed that they had discovered that Russia had inserted codes into the Syrian S-300's that were making the israeli jets appear to be 'friendly' so that they do not get targeted on these frequent air raids they fly over Syria; And that they (Iranian technicians) have now removed them from the S-300's electronics.  Since they made that announcement I have been watching to see if Israel fly's air raids into Syria, so far there had just been 1 near the border and now this one.  

If they are now being forced to use cruise missiles-that would mean their options have now limited since cruise missile strikes are not as effective as F-15, F-16 strikes, especially if the Iranian proxies dig their weapons in.  Not much of a bunker buster can be delivered with a cruise missile.

 

Unless I missed it, Syria did not exactly receive it's S-300. Rather, the Russians deployed the system to the airbase where it's forces are stationed, and the system is operated by Russian personnel. A second, naval element, of the same was advanced to the area on a later date. There are other reports though, suggesting certain components are operated by Syrian forces.

 

Since the deployment, Israel and Russia maintain a certain level of coordination with regard to air operations, in order to avoid an unnecessary conflagration as occurred vs. Turkey.  There was at least one incident which almost came to "something" (a Russian drone entering Israeli airspace). On the other hand, there were Israeli attacks (mostly against arms convoys to Hezbollah) which were, for the most part, weren't acted upon or even challenged by the Russians.

 

Most of the arms convoys from Syria to Hezbollah would pass at a range which would allow Israel to use standoff weapons, whether launched from ground-based or airborne platforms. That's pretty much the case with almost all related attacks. The flying directly overhead and dropping bombs thing is a bit passe.