Aftermath Of Israel’s Bombardment Of Syrian Port Seen In Satellite Imagery
The Israeli air raid may have been connected to the appearance of an Iranian-flagged container ship at the port.
The Israeli air raid may have been connected to the appearance of an Iranian-flagged container ship at the port.
It’s the second time this month that the Israeli Air Force has targeted apparent weapons deliveries at the Mediterranean port.
Reports suggest four of the Flanker fighters have arrived at the airbase that sits on the Turkish border, close to U.S. forces.
Tu-22M3 bombers and MiG-31K fighters have also been brandishing their anti-ship missiles during the latest round of drills in the Mediterranean.
Recent imagery suggests the swing-wing bombers are operating for the first time from a Syrian base.
The extended runway at Khmeimim could help accommodate heavy airlifters carrying more cargo or other large aircraft, including possibly bombers.
Russia has implied the jets flew strike missions while they were there, but security concerns may have cut the deployment short.
Assad has only received four launchers and the Russians say it will take three months to train enough Syrians to operate them.
If the missiles actually arrive and stay, they would represent a clear escalation, but Israel won’t stop its strikes because of them.
It’s not clear how the Kremlin might respond after the embarrassing incident in which Syrian forces accidentally shot down the Russian aircraft.