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Israeli Navy destroys Syrian Fleet in Latakia….. Israel claims destruction of 70% of Assad’s military power

The IDF has not released a detailed statement regarding the strikes, but the military sources spoke to the Israeli media confirmed that the Navy conducted a major operation on Monday night to eliminate the former regime’s naval fleet. The operation is part of a broader campaign to neutralize military assets and prevent them from falling into the hands of hostile forces. According to media reports citing official statements, following the collapse of the regime, Israel launched efforts to dismantle regime weapons sites to prevent them from being seized by hostile forces. This came amidst the chaotic takeover by rebel groups, many of which were previously linked to al-Qaeda and other jihadist organizations. Photographs from the port of Latakia reveal sunken Osa-class (Project 205) missile boats, with P-15M Termit (SS-N-2C Styx) launchers visibly protruding above the water’s surface. While official statements have not disclosed the number of Israeli warships involved or the exact count of Syrian vessels destroyed, some Israeli officials have indicated that all strategic weapons were successfully eliminated during the recent raids. The Osa-class missile boat is a high-speed naval vessel developed by the Soviet Union in the early 1960s. According to open sources, the Syrian Navy operated approximately 16 OSA-class missile boats, with at least half being the upgraded OSA II variant. The primary armament of the OSA-class features four P-15 (SS-N-2 Styx) anti-ship missilesas the main weapon. For air defense, the boats are fitted with two AK-230 turrets, each armed with twin 30mm autocannons. The vessels are powered by three diesel engines, each driving its own shaft, providing a high power-to-weight ratio and enabling a maximum speed of 39 knots. The Osa II variant features enhancements such as more powerful engines, an increased top speed, and tube-shaped missile launchers designed for the improved P-15U missiles, offering better operational capabilities and firepower.

The Israeli military announced on Tuesday that it had destroyed 70% of the military capabilities belonging to ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Following the collapse of the Assad regime over the weekend, the Israeli military reported hitting 320 “strategic targets” in Syria as part of operation “Bashan Arrow.” The attacks specifically targeted weaponry that Israel fears could fall into the hands of hostile groups, including Hezbollah. Israel’s naval forces previously destroyed the Syrian military fleet as part of a broader campaign to eliminate strategic threats to Israel.

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Israel Steps Up Airstrikes, Sends Troops Deeper Into Syria

  • War monitor says Israeli tanks seen in southwestern Damascus
  • Opposition groups led by HTS toppled Assad over the we

Israel stepped up its attacks on military sites in Syria, striking hundreds of targets early Tuesday and sending troops deeper into the country. The strikes targeted warehouses and weapons depots in several parts of Syria including the capital Damascus, bringing the total of Israeli airstrikes in the past two days to at least 310, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Israel’s Army Radio, citing an unnamed defense official, described Tuesday’s attack as one of the biggest strikes in the air force’s history. Syria television also reported Israeli airstrikes on Damascus and its suburbs on two separate occasions early Tuesday. Israel seized a buffer zone along its border with Syria, an area the army says is about 155 square miles in size, a day after rebel groups toppled Bashar Al-Assad’s government on Sunday. Israel also said it struck Syrian chemical weapons and missile-storage sites. The observatory, which has been monitoring the war in Syria via a network of people on the ground, said Israeli tanks were seen in the southwestern suburbs of Damascus, a dozen miles away from the capital. The Israel Defense Forces are deployed in the buffer zone as well as points close to the border with Syria, spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a post on X. He also said that reports circulating in some media outlets claiming that Israeli troops were “advancing or approaching Damascus are completely incorrect.” Israel’s seizure of the buffer zone and its sustained attacks have drawn the ire of Arab countries including Egypt and Saudi Arabia. In a statement, the kingdom said Israel’s assault showed “determination to sabotage Syria‘s chances of restoring its security, stability and territorial integrity.” Egypt also went as far as accusing Israel of seeking to “occupy more Syrian territory.”  Israel is wary of the opposition groups that brought down Assad’s government. The rebels are led by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, an Islamist group that was originally affiliated with Al-Qaeda. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government was formally in a state of war with Assad, whose government maintained relative calm on that border despite some violations in the past year. But the emergence of a new Islamist power base in its immediate vicinity adds an additional threat after more than a year fighting Iran-backed militant groups in Gaza and Lebanon. The head of HTS, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, is trying to change the image of his group from a radical one to a unified opposition capable of inclusive governance in Syria. In an interview with CNN last week, he said “no one has the right to erase another group,” responding to a question about previous attacks on minority groups.

HTS is designated a terrorist organization by the US and many other countries.

In a statement over the weekend, the quasi-government of the opposition sought to reassure the international community that they would not use chemical weapons stored in Syria. “We have no intention or desire to use chemical weapons or any weapons of mass destruction under any circumstance,” the opposition said. NN: Only a libeal lefty WOK LGBRQ TANS BINAY FOOL. believes these are not savage terrorists  that have taken over Syria. They will make Assad look like Mr. Rogers.

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Israeli strikes reported in Syria after Assad’s fall up to 300

The Syrian Observatory of Human Rights indicated on Tuesday that the Israeli strikes reported since the rebels overthrew Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over the weekend have increased to 300. The update comes after loud explosions were reported in Syria’s capital city of Damascus in the early morning by several media outlets. Previously, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Golan Heights, Syrian territory, occupied by Israel for nearly 60 years, would remain part of Israel indefinitely. The Israeli military took control of a buffer zone in Syrian territory, established under a 1974 ceasefire. While Israel described the move as a temporary step to secure its border, critics accused it of violating the ceasefire and exploiting Syria’s instability to claim more land. Loud explosions could be heard in Syria’s capital city of Damascus early on Tuesday, according to multiple media outlets. Both AFP and Al-Jazeera Arabic correspondents reported the blasts. Al-Jazeera added that the explosions could be heard “in and around” Damascus, attributing them to Israeli air strikes. Hours earlier, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said Israel carried out about 250 strikes in Syria since President Bashar al-Assad was ousted, targeting military installations. Earlier on Tuesday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned “Israel’s invasion and bombing of Syria,” and called on United States President Joe Biden’s administration to “end arms shipments to Israel and hold them accountable for ongoing atrocities.”

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Rebel group taps political chief to form transitional gov’t

Syria’s Islamist opposition group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) tasked on Monday Mohammed al-Bashir with the formation of a new transitional government in the immediate aftermath of the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad’s government over the weekend, according to Syrian media. Al-Bashir has been serving as the prime minister of the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) a de-facto administrative authority overseeing the Idlib region in northwestern Syria, which has been primarily under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham since 2017. Al-Bashir is expected to work with sitting Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali to secure a peaceful transition of power. The fall of Assad from power marked the end of the Syrian Arab Republic under the Assad dynasty which has ruled Syria since 1963.

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Oil up by more than 1% on Latest Middle East turmoil…….Israel hits suspected chemical weapons sites in Syria

The prices of oil futures grew on Monday as traders assessed the potential consequences of the opposition forces seizing power in Syria and ousting President Bashar al-Assad. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for January’s settlements increased  to sell for $68.50 per barrel. Simultaneously, Brent for February’s deliveries priced at  $72.37 per barrel.

“The development in Syria has added a new layer of political uncertainty in the Middle East, providing some support to the market,” Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting analyst Tomomichi Akuta told Reuters. “But Saudi Arabia’s price reductions and OPEC+’s production cut extension last week underscored weak demand from China, indicating the market may soften toward year-end,” Akuta added. “Markets are largely pricing that the tensions in Syria will remain contained within its own space and the risks of a wider oil supply disruption remain low,” IG market strategist Yeap Jun Rong told Bloomberg.

Israel hits suspected chemical weapons sites in Syria

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Monday that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck sites in Syria suspected of containing chemical weapons and long-range missiles amid political turmoil in the country. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown yesterday, leading to uncertainty over future leadership. Sa’ar said Israel targeted the sites “so they will not fall in the hands of extremists.” He insisted the IDF’s presence on Syrian territory is “limited and temporary” and only aiming to ensure Israel’s security.

nn adio file:
the enemy of my enemy is still my enemy

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Trump says Assad lost Russia’s support

United States President-elect Donald Trump released a statement about Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fleeing Syria after rebels took control of Damascus. He said Assad’s departure was caused by Russia no longer supporting Assad and that its focus shifted to Ukraine, where he stated nearly 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured in the ongoing war. Trump also described both Russia and Iran as “weakened,” citing Russia’s struggles in Ukraine and economic difficulties and Iran’s challenges due to Israel’s apparent “fighting success.” Trump urged an immediate ceasefire and called for negotiations to prevent further destruction, appealing to Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggesting China could play a role in brokering peace. “I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting,” he concluded.

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Syrian President Has Fallen to Rebels

  • Opposition group HTS says it has taken the capital Damascus
  • Assad’s whereabouts unknown; his fall a blow to Russia, Iran

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has fled Damascus, according to multiple reports, after rebel forces entered the capital following a stunning territorial advance over a few days. The toppling of the longtime ruler is sending shockwaves through the Middle East and will be a major blow to Russia and Iran, his main foreign backers. Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, which has led the push to oust Assad and his government, said it entered Damascus on Saturday evening and captured the key city of Homs — about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of the capital — around the same time. Other areas of the country, including in the north near the Turkish border and in the south, have been captured by different groups. There were reports of Syrians in Damascus celebrating the downfall of the widely despised regime. HTS’s leader, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, called on all of the Syrian government’s forces in the capital to stand down. Al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed Al-Jolani, said Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali will remain in his role until there’s an official handover. Assad’s whereabouts are still unknown. He left the country for an undisclosed location, the Associated Press reported, citing Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Agence France-Presse reported rebels as saying Assad had “fled,” while Reuters cited two army officers as saying the leader had flown out of Damascus.The 59-year-old, who took over from his father Hafez in 2000, made a last-ditch attempt to remain in power, including indirect diplomatic overtures to the US and President-elect Donald Trump, Bloomberg reported on Saturday. In a sign of how weak his military position was, he ordered his army to fall back on Damascus, essentially ceding much of the country, including Homs, to the insurgents. Trump took to social media to say that the US should “have nothing to do with” the developments in Syria. “This is not our fight,” he said. “Let it play out. Do not get involved!” Assad lost large swaths of the northwest of the country in late November as opposition fighters made a sudden advance out of Idlib province. They first captured Aleppo, one of the biggest cities in Syria, and then advanced on Hama. The rapid collapse of Syria’s government has taken Russia, Iran, the US and Israel, which borders Syria, by surprise. In 2015, Russia and Iran came to Assad’s aid and helped turn the tide in Syria’s war — which began four years earlier — in his favor. This time both Tehran and Moscow, which has a naval base at the Syrian port of Tartus, have been stretched by conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. While Iran said it would send troops to Syria if Assad requested it and tried to drum up support for him among Arab states, it was ultimately unwilling or unable to do that. Moreover, Tehran’s most powerful proxy militia group, Lebanon-based Hezbollah, has been hugely degraded since September by war with Israel. Its fighters were crucial to helping Assad stay in power from early in the civil war. The Syrian conflict has left between 300,000 to 500,000 people dead and displaced more than 10 million, with many of them fleeing abroad, according to United Nations agencies and Syrian organizations. NN: This is ugly. Assad was to busy killing his own people to export Jihad. ISIS and Islamic Jihad rebranded has taken Syria.

nn audio file: making a monster

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Syrian rebels reiterate they have ‘freed’ Damascus, ousted Assad….

Syrian rebels reiterated in a televised statement that they have freed the capital city of Damascus and ousted President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. They also stated that they have freed all those “unjustly detained” by Assad, with the group saying earlier it had broken into the notorious Sednaya military prison and freed all the inmates. “We wish all our fighters and citizens preserve and maintain the property of the state of Syria. Long live Syria,” the group said. NN: ISIS under Mohammed Golani (ISIS) come to power…… slick trick

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Syrian opposition activists say insurgents have reached the suburbs of Damascus

BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents’ stunning march across Syria gained speed on Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and the government forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country.

The move, reported by pro-government media and an opposition war monitor, was the first time that opposition forces reach the outskirts of the Syrian capital since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the region adjacent to the capital following a yearslong siege. It came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern Syria on Saturday, leaving more areas of the country, including two provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters.

The rapid advances by insurgents is a stunning reversal of fortunes for Assad, who appears to be largely on his own, with his usual allies preoccupied with other conflicts.

His chief international backer, Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine, and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up his forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran, meanwhile, has seen its proxies across the region degraded by Israeli regular airstrikes.

The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition” in Syria. Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Amid the dramatic developments, Syria’s state media denied rumors flooding social media that Assad has left the country, saying he is performing his duties in the capital, Damascus.

Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents are now active in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. He added that opposition fighters on Saturday were also marching from eastern Syria toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta.

A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces have started carrying out the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. He added that insurgents were headed from southern Syria toward Damascus.

Syria’s military, meanwhile, sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, as insurgents approached its outskirts.

Pedersen said a date for the talks in Geneva would be announced later and would discuss the implementation of U.N. Resolution 2254.

The resolution adopted in 2015 called for a Syrian-led political process, starting with the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections.

Pedersen said the need for an orderly political transition “has never been more urgent,”

Abdurrahman reported Saturday that Iran’s military advisers have started leaving Syria. He added that Iran-backed fighters in eastern Syria, mainly from Afghanistan and Pakistan, have withdrawn into central Syria.

The shock offensive began Nov. 27 led by the jihadi Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama, the country’s fourth largest city. The group has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations.

HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told CNN in an exclusive interview Thursday from Syria that the aim of the offensive is to overthrow Assad’s government.

The Britain-based Observatory said Syrian troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces and are sending reinforcements to Homs, where a battle is looming. If the insurgents capture Homs, they would cut the link between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where the president enjoys wide support.

The Syrian army said in a statement Saturday that it has carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists.” The army said it is setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south.

Since Syria’s conflict broke out in March 2011, the Syrian government has been referring to opposition gunmen as terrorists.

In the gas-rich nation of Qatar, the foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey were scheduled to meet to discuss the situation in Syria. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels seeking to overthrow Assad.

Qatar’s top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said.

Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. After the fall of the cities of Daraa and Sweida early Saturday, Syrian government forces remain in control of five provincial capitals — Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, as well as Latakia and Tartus on the Mediterranean cost.

Tartus is home to the only Russian naval base outside the former Soviet Union while Latakia is home to a major Russian air base.

On Friday, U.S.-backed fighters of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces captured wide parts of the eastern province of Deir el-Zour that borders Iraq as well as the provincial capital that carries the same name. The capture of areas in Deir el-Zour is a blow to Iran’s influence in the region as the area is the gateway to the corridor linking the Mediterranean to Iran, a supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

With the capture of a main border crossing with Iraq by the SDF and after opposition fighters took control of the Naseeb border crossing to Jordan in southern Syria, the Syrian government’s only gateway to the outside world is the Masnaa border crossing with Lebanon.