'Coordination'? Russia threatens to shoot down IAF jets targeting Hezbullah convoys

Israel Matzav ^ | 9/25/15 | Carl in Jerusalem

[Nachum]

'Coordinating' with the Russians over Syria doesn't seem to be so much fun after all. According to this story (translated from an Arabic original here), the Russians have, in essence, threatened to shoot down any IAF jets targeting weapons convoys moving from Assad forces in Syria to Hezbullah in Lebanon.

“Moscow imposed on Tel Aviv a military coordination in advance for any military operation carried against Syrian military targets or against Hezbollah in Syria, to prevent any fatal accident. Senior military officers on both sides will maintain regular meetings and contacts to allow a smooth Russian military presence in Syria. Above all, Russia would like to avoid shooting down an Israeli jet in case one of its officers is hit by mistake while present in a convoy or in special mission. Israel and Russia will also coordinate naval operations off the coast of Syria, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, where there is a large Russian naval base”, said a decision-maker source in Damascus.

You can bet that every weapons convoy to Hezbullah will now include a Russian officer.

According to the source, quoting a Russian envoy that referred details of the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “the promenade era of Israel over the sky of Syria is ending. Israel agreed to stop hitting any military target or convoy on Syrian land under any excuses or without prior coordination with the liaison officers that will be established starting form next October. President Putin opposed the U.S President Barack Obama when he decided to hit President al-Assad. Therefore, Netanyahu’s national security concern would be Russia’s priority. None the less, Putin confirmed that Israel has the right to hit any military convoy leaving Syria and entering the Lebanese soil if suspected of carrying weapons to Hezbollah ».

“Russia is becoming the guarantor and the coordinator of rival parties and countries, like Hezbollah, Syria and Israel as well as the striking force against extremist groups the Levant, like Jabhat al-Nusra (al-Qaeda in Sham) and the group called “Islanic State” (IS). Hezbollah agreed to limit all military activities in Syria without hitting Israel as long as the Russian forces are present on the ground and Israel won’t hit Hezbollah in Syria” confirmed the source.

One has to wonder whether hitting such weapons convoys once they are in Lebanon is too late. That has been the presumed value all along of hitting them while they are still in Syria.

But the Russian intervention imposed a forced rhythm on the United States and Europe to change the rules of the game. The international focus needs to be orientated toward the fight against terrorism and not to change Assad. With or without the Syrian President, ISIS and al-Qaeda have no intention to leave the country. Therefore, the U.S current method used to contain extremists by adopting a soft approach is not successful. Russia believes a more rough methods are required and is preparing to carry more raids in one single month, equivalent to nearly a year of airstrikes carried by the coalition against terrorists”, said the source.

In other words, because Obama never had a real policy, Russia will now 'have' to impose one. #ThanksObama. 

[Eleutheria5]

You mean, will try to shoot down IAF planes.