Israel Reportedly Attacks Syrian Facility, In An Escalation

Hezbollah has maintained its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. And “we know from reports that the Iranians are supporting Syria with billions of dollars,” she says. “There are Arab analysts here who call it Iran’s ‘Vietnam.'”

Rebels in Syria are not embracing the alleged Israeli attack, Deb says. Syria’s state-run media were quick to say the raid was part of Israel’s plan to help the rebels.

“They said that Israel was supporting what they called ‘the terrorists,'” she says. “And today, rebel sources said they want to topple the regime — but they don’t want the help of the Israelis. So, it’s a sensitive escalation.”

The U.S. government is considering what role it should play in the conflict — including the option of providing weapons such as shoulder-fired missiles to the Syrian rebels, as NPR’s Kelly McEvers reported Saturday.

One concern raised by that possibility has been the chance that U.S.-supplied weapons might find their way into the hands of violent extremists.

The rebel group’s chief of staff, Free Syrian Army Brig. Gen. Salim Idris, told Kelly that wouldn’t happen.

“All of the members of the Supreme Military Council agreed … not to share anything with the extremist groups,” Idris said.

Article Appeared @http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/05/181249206/facility-near-damascus-attacked-by-israel-sana-says

 

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