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Syrian War Report – August 17, 2018: 5th Assault Corps Will Participate In Upcoming Battle For Idlib

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On August 16, militant groups operating in western Syria declared the villages of Banes, Birnah, al-Ottomania, Hwair al-Eis, Tell Bajir, Judiydah, Zummar and Jizrea in southwestern Aleppo part of a “military zone” and ordered civilians to leave the area within 48 hours.

Additionally, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) and the Turkistan Islamic party had sent reinforcements to southwestern Aleppo.

Local sources link these developments to the ongoing preparations of militant groups to fend off a possible advance of the Syrian Arab Army on their areas in western Syria.

Meanwhile, four units of the Russian-backed 5th Assault Corps – the Assad Shield, the Mahardah Forces, the ISIS Hunters and the Ba’ath battalions – were deployed in the northern countryside of Hama. Earlier, at least four convoys of the Tiger Forces, including battle tanks and artillery pieces, arrived in the same area.

Pro-militant sources also reported that the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies have continued striking positions of the opposition in northern Hama and southern Idlib.

While Turkey is actively working to prevent a possible SAA advance in the area, the situation on the ground is clearly leading to a military escalation.

In the desert area at the administrative border between al-Suwayda and Rif Dimashq, the SAA further advanced on positions of the ISIS cells in the al-Safa area. Government troops captured a few positions southwest of Ardh Safa and advanced on Ardh al-Banat, Durs and Shir Tur al-Hawiyah.

On August 16, the Iraqi Air Force announced that its F-16 warplanes had carried out another airstrike on ISIS in Syria. According to the statement, the airstrike targeted an ISIS operations room killing and injuring ISIS fighters and spies, who were preparing to carry out terrorist attacks inside Iraq.

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Hisham Saber

After Idlib, Israel must be taught a lesson. Sorry Mr. Putin, but whatever you promised Mr. Netanyahu , the Golan is Syrian territory and enough is enough. Israel has grown too arrogant.

Israeli’s / IDF are cowards by nature. Israel could get ‘ taken ‘ by the forces of the axis of resistance quite easily, as the IDF are not nowhere near as experienced as the Iraqi’s, Syrians and Iranians, as well as Hezbollah. The forces of the axis of resistance have 7 years of desert, rural and urban combat experience with a dogged and very determined foe and is crushing that foe very effectively.

The forces of the axis of resistance, the Syrian Arab Army, NDF and auxiliaries, the battalions of Hezbollah including Special Forces (Ridwan brigades), about 30 thousand Afghan volunteers, and more coming, that are fighting alongside the Syrian army, the many, many Chechens, most likely sent from Mr. Khadyrov himself, are embedded with the Tigers and 4th Division of the SAA, the Iraqi PMU’s, essentially the Iraqi army and whom answer to IRGC Gen. Solemenei, who answers directly to Mr. Khamenei, Iraqi Hezbollah, and an array of allied militias and volunteers. Syrian and Lebanese volunteers. And Syria has alsways been on partial mobilization, never going for medium or full mobilization nor draft. If it did, you can count maybe another 500 thousand armed men.

All these forces would annihilate the Zionist usurpers. The IDF, like I said, don’t have real combat experience like the forces I mentioned above. Israel does not have any strategic depth to speak of, which is actually its Achilles heel. The IDF are of poor quality, as we saw in 2006 against Hezbollah alone, not all the forces lined up today against Israel do and have momentum behind them. These forces are very cohesive now, there is really no stopping them, infact, they could challenge Turkey and the U.S. in the region quite easily, and they will, if the U.S. is still dumb enough to keep Special Forces, bases in Syria and Iraq. They are sitting targets that can easily be overwhelmed and destroyed, they are surrounded by a hostile population, who are already showing serious signs of displeasure at their being bases and U.S. / SDF Kurds in Arab land. Along with the forces of the axis of resistance, the U.S. will most likely seek to pull out soon.

Again, the IDF are a bunch of derelicts and cowards that only excel at killing unarmed civilians and firing missiles from afar. The IDF are poor quality when the tough gets going. They are LGBQT’s, exchange students from the U.S., and criminal Russian Jews on the run from justice in Russia. Thye pose no threat. Its all the Myth of the ‘ Mighty Tshahal ‘ , the ‘ invincible Army of God ‘ , just like their Merkava MBT’s are ‘ Chariots of God ‘ , and are no longer in production, as they are inferior design, and weaknesses that Hezbollah exploited and shred many of them in 2006. Of the 400 Merkava’s deployed in the 33 day battle, 44 were completely destroyed, most within sight of the border. 75,000 IDF soldiers, including the much hailed Golani Brigades, and two armored battalions were effectively held off and pretty much routed by 4500 Hezbollah ‘ regulars ‘ , as Hezbollah happened to have stationed its best forces, commandos, special forces north of the Litani Line, and they saw no action. So imagine if Hezbollah went full throttle in 2006, now imagine the forces of the axis of resistance, whom are being effectively led by IRGC Gen. Solemenei, for the most part, imagine they take on the sorry IDF.

At such a juncture, the best thing that Israel can hope for to save itself, and they do count on this heavily, is that the U.S., Britain, France quickly come to their rescue. But by looking at Afghanistan, Iraq 2.0 and Yemen, the U.S., Britain and France simply haven’t been able to field forces that are desired by their leadership. 17 years later and the U.S. is still fighting the Taliban, who are wearing beach sandals and bed sheets, armed with light weapons and no home bases. In Iraq 2.0, 14 out of the total 16 Battalions of the U.S. Army were effectively bogged down and wore down, death by one thousand cuts, by determined insurgents who terrorized the U.S. coalition troops with devastating IED’s and snipers. The U.S. forces were forced to garrison themselves in isolated bases far from population centers or hot zones. which the whole of Iraq became for them.

The writing is on the wall for the apartheid Zionist regime. Its just a matter of a little preparation and getting everyone and everything in order. All it takes is for one phone call from Mr. Khamenei, and Israel will be in serious peril. And I have not even incuded the scenario , and how nightmarish it would be for the Israeli’s, the U.S., Britain and France, along for all the GCC Gulf states, if Iran joined the battle, or was attacked. Then you can add millions of armed men, who will sweep across the region. The U.S. / Israel and their allies can do nothing but bomb from the air, but you can only do so much of that, and the battle is then determined on the ground, where the U.S./ Israel are heavily outnumbered, outmaneuvered, outflanked, and again, Israel has no strategic depth. It cannot sustain itself, as its population is neither morally nor psychologically prepared for a major battle/s, struggle. Neither does the Israeli economy have the capacity to survive a conflict lasting more than a month.

Cheers, Salam.

ελευθεριος βενιζελος

how many tanks saa lost in the attacks of 67 and 73?? what happend in the valey becaa in 82? you think that they should attack when east syria is not secure?? the army holds syria together at the moment…

Icarus Tanović

This isn’t ’67, ’73, nor ’82. This is 2018. Hezbolah and Lebanon busted their faces as recently as 2006. Not to mention what has happened before.

ελευθεριος βενιζελος

you do understand that they still have the same weapons in 2018 while the jews are 2 générations ahead in some cases…..

Hisham Saber

This is not 67′ nor 73′, when Arabs were fragmented and played by old Soviet doctrine of large Corps.

4500 Hezbollah ‘ regulars ‘ effectively routed 75,000 IDF troops, along with the famous Golani Brigades, and two armored battalions. Hezbollah had its special forces and commandos stationed north of the Litani Line during the 33 day battle/war.

The IDF are made out of a bunch of LGBQT’s and exchange students from the U.S., and criminal Russian Jews on the run from Moscow. They stand no chance against the Syrian Arab Army, Hezbollah who have 7 years of grueling battlefield experience.

The IDF would be annihilated if they stand and try to fight.

ελευθεριος βενιζελος

i disagree…not the same thing to hold a town than advance and conquer an larger area… what about airsuperiority? aircover aa guns??

Icarus Tanović

In 2000 just Hezbollah run over Idf, conquer large parts of southern Lebanon, cities, farmlands, fortifications with watchtowers and it is still holding it till this day. I don’t want to even mention War in 2006.

ελευθεριος βενιζελος

they could not bomb the cities like alepo for examble, and in a case of a full war they will do just that..the guerrila style warfare with the at launchers would do a thing to stop the israelli armored divisions just like in 67, 73,82….. it is not logical for me at all….

Icarus Tanović

It isn’t for you, but it is the for the rest of us.

ελευθεριος βενιζελος

love the answer!! how old are you?? 5?? have you ever been to any army?? read a book to understand what are you saying at least if you want to comment….

Icarus Tanović

I’ve been in a WAR! You’re talking nonsense and spread false info here as Zionistic spy. Trolling just for fun. It isn’t the weapon that wins the War, it is heart and braveness. Be gone with you.

occupybacon

It’s the most wet and vivid dream for Bibi and Trump to have a reason to finish ISIS job, to demolish what is left of Syria.

§âm

I am not pro-Israel, but let us be realistic here, SAA has no chance of beating Israel in a direct war. secondly the resistance axis has no way to fight the Nato which definately will get involved in case irael is attacked

Manuel Flores Escobar

Its the reverse…israel has no chance to defeat SAA…when Syrian air defense would be intercepting air to ground missile while thousands of rockets flew vs Israel…surely that coward israeli people will ask for a truce!…forget that israel will invade Syria..above all they know what happen in the lebanon war…

Bob

Israel has a very professional air force, benefiting from heavy US subsidization, but as regards the current state and capacity of IDF ground forces, there are many questions:

https://www.fort-russ.com/2018/08/weve-become-a-group-of-cowards-new-report-exposes-crisis-in-idf/

§âm

The airforce aspect is very important, the syrian defnces won’t be able to defend against the israeli airforce.. and as you know in modern warfare whoever controls the skies has a huge advantage. Israel is a NATO nation and any attack on it will bring the NATO in general and Usa in particular into play. Trumps planes will burn the capital Damascus to the ground if bashar steps a foot in golan hights. Secondly, you overestimate the Capabilities of the SAA, the army uses outdated weapons and planes, their leadership has lots of incapable officers and generals and many conscripts are poorly trained and armed

Bob

Israel is most certainly NOT a NATO member – it is a ‘Major non-NATO ally’ alongside a bunch of other countries from Australia to Argentina. This means Israel is NOT included in NATO’s defense policy, Article 5, whereby any member under attack draw response of whole alliance.

The US has its own weapons stockpiles inside Israel – likely to be directly handed over should Israel ever be in serious peril. This is response to emergency events of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, when USAF ran Operation Nickel Grass, flying in bulk military supplies for 32 days to bail Israel out of serious danger from a surprise joint Egyptian and Syrian attack. This was large scale bail out, deliveries included around 100 US F-4 Phantoms and dozens of A-4 Skyhawks, to replace notable IAF losses, and full access to US Navy refueling tankers (not all the US aircraft had their USAF insignia removed confusing Arab air forces). This relationship is between US and Israel – and is not a NATO matter.

What this means is US heavily aids and subsidizes the Israeli military – however US forces have not previously directly engaged in Israel’s operational wars – as you readily assume they will now – and furthermore NATO as an organization has no legal charter to intervene or ‘burn Damascus’ in regard to conflict with Israel.

You display very little understanding of the regional situation, and how future events around Golan might actually transpire. Should Israel again attack Lebanon, then Syria would be the wildcard factor, and possibly act against IDF positions in the Golan, if not directly, by opening border access to Hezbollah for a flanking actions against the IDF Golan installations. In reality Israel has very limited manpower reserves and cannot politically or demographically absorb serious combat losses on multiple fronts. This sort of scenario, of a Hezbollah special forces flanking operation in Golan, and or an opportune SAA advance, under the conditions whereby the IDF is mobilized and advancing into south Lebanon would open the Golan to potential Syrian reoccupation – and this is the exact sort of scenario that Israel greatly fears.

Hisham Saber

The much vaunted Israeli Air Force couldn’t do a damn thing against Hezbollah in 2006, when Israel got a serious thrashing.

Its simple really, you just don’t give air forces any targets, . Todays forces are very mobile, liquid and are able to outmaneuver air attacks, as again, shown by Hezbollah in 2006.

This isn’t Iraq 2003, with set piece Corps. waiting to be bombed. And also, for every airstrike by Israel, there will be a high explosive and accurate warhead from a ballistic missile fired on Israel.

Bubba Junior

To many orphans and widows already-smash the whahabbi out of Syria and win the peace!

Icarus Tanović

It’s Iraq 3.0, actually. Because America invaded Iraq in 1980 and bring Saddam Husein to power. And there goes vicious aggression on Iran, and Wmd that they’ve got from USA, to say Soman and Sarin a highly deadly super neurotoxins. And on that pretext, having that in mind they did Iraq 3.0,saying they have WOM, excuse me, but we gave them that! And they’ve found absolutely nothing.

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