The situation is fluid to say the least, but as far as we can tell this is what has happened tonight so far:
1. Sirens go off in Golan Heights
2. Loud explosions heard
Then blame-game begins…
3. AP: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Wednesday that Israel has attacked targets of the Syrian military on the outskirts of Quneitra.
4. AP: Activists reported rocket fire from Israel into southern Syrian just before midnight Wednesday.
5. AP: The Israeli army says it is investigating and has no further details.
6. IDF report that Iranian Quds force fired 20 rockets towards forward IDF positions on Golan Heights.
7. According to al-Mayadeen (pro-gov) 10 positions of the Israeli Army were shelled with rockets, and several vehicles were targeted with guided missiles.
8. The IDF views this event with great severity and remains prepared for a wide variety of scenarios.
9. Exchanges continue…
10. Israeli jets fire on Damascus; shelling from inside Israel continues.
11. Israeli jets are firing on the headquarters of the Republican Guard.
12. IDF confirms that Israel is launching an attack on targets associated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in Syria. Meanwhile, the power has been cut in parts of Damascus.
So it is unclear who started the ‘fight’ but for now rocket exchanges continue.
Latest Updates:
Update 9:52 pm by The Iranian:
#BRAKING #NOW
Video of air raid by the Israeli warplanes on the scientific research center in the area of #jamraya in the Syrian capital #Damascus minutes ago.#Israel #Syria #USA #Trump #IDF #NuclearDeal #Iran #Russia pic.twitter.com/00zuL1OMfc— Eva J. Koulouriotis – إيفا كولوريوتي (@evacool_) May 10, 2018
IDF confirms that Israeli air forces have launched an attack on targets associated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Meanwhile, electricity has been cut in parts of Damascus.
#BREAKING #NOW
Air strikes by Israeli warplanes targeted the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and #Hezbollah militia south of the Syrian city of #Homs and in the vicinity of #AlDumeer military airport.#Israel #Syria #USA #Trump #IDF #NuclearDeal #Iran #Russia pic.twitter.com/JcROKw4MJA— Eva J. Koulouriotis – إيفا كولوريوتي (@evacool_) May 10, 2018
https://twitter.com/leithfadel/status/994367278203527168
Israeli air forces are conducting raids on Republican Guard headquarters and the Mezzah miitary air base.
#BREAKING #NOW
Air raids by the Israeli warplanes at the #Mezzah military airport and the headquarters of the Republican Guard in the Syrian capital #Damascus.#Israel #Syria #USA #Trump #IDF #NuclearDeal #Iran #Russia pic.twitter.com/4U1VBUekAz— Eva J. Koulouriotis – إيفا كولوريوتي (@evacool_) May 10, 2018
Update 7:41 via ZeroHedge: AP reports the two sides’ versions of events…
Israel:
Iranian forces based in Syria fired 20 rockets at Israeli front-line military positions in the Golan Heights early Thursday, the Israeli military said, triggering an Israeli reprisal and further escalating heightened tensions between the two bitter enemies in neighboring Syria.
The Israeli military said its Iron Dome rocket defense system intercepted some of the incoming projectiles, while others caused only minimal damage. There were no Israeli casualties.
Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, a military spokesman, said Iran’s Al Quds force had fired the rockets at several Israeli bases, though he would not say how Israel had determined the Iranian involvement. The incoming attack set off air raid sirens in the Israeli-controlled Golan.
Israel “views this Iranian attack very severely,” Conricus told reporters. He said Israel had responded, but did not provide details.
“This event is not over,” he added.
And “Not”-Israel…
Syria’s state news agency said early Thursday that Syrian air defenses had intercepted “hostile Israeli missiles,” and Syrian media later said the missiles were fired over southwestern Damascus.
Pro-Syrian government media and activists said late Wednesday that missiles had been fired toward Israel from southern Syria targeting Israeli positions in the occupied Golan heights.
Before that report, Syria state news agency said rockets suspected to have been fired from Israel hit southern Syria’s Quneitra province.
Activists said it was artillery fire from Israeli positions in the Golan Heights.
There were no reports of casualties.
You decide who’s telling the truth.
Update 7:31 via The Iranian: Possible false flag operation, baiting Iran
A false flag by #Israel to intentionally blame Iran as a justificatiin/prelude to launch war against it. The #SAA fired rockets in retaliation only after Israeli attacked #Syria first.
Vital to remember the #Golan_Heights is Syrian territory occupied by #Israel. https://t.co/UQQtF6tEsZ— Hala Jaber (@HalaJaber) May 9, 2018
Re Israel's increasing number of attacks in Syria, I see the following explanations:
1. Netanyahu believes Iran cant currently respond forcefully lest it risks pushing EU out of the #IranDeal.
Hence, this is a relatively cost-freetime for Netanyahu to kill Iranians in Syria
>>— Trita Parsi (@tparsi) May 9, 2018
Update 7:24 via ZeroHedge: Israel has reportedly launched a cruise missile at Damascus…
#BREAKING
Source: A cruise missile fired by the Israeli army towards the Syrian capital #Damascus now.#Israel #Syria #USA #Trump #IDF #NuclearDeal #Iran #Russia pic.twitter.com/DfJclHQVzv— Eva J. Koulouriotis – إيفا كولوريوتي (@evacool_) May 9, 2018
Update 7:16 by The Iranian:
FYI Syrian commanders on the ground report that it was the Syrian army and the National Defense Forces (NDF) that responded to Israeli provocations in the Golan Heights. They say there are no Shia forces in the area and that reports that Iran fired at Israel are false. https://t.co/pxWdiYK7n2
— Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) May 9, 2018
Upwards of 40 rockets have been launched from #Syria at #Israel thus far
— Danny Makki (@Dannymakkisyria) May 9, 2018
**********
All of this is breaking and the facts of the situation are still murky. But here’s a preliminary timeline of events (beginning at roughly 5:30 pm ET) shared by independent journalist Danny Makki on Twitter.
Looks like this fighting could continue well into the night #Iran #Israel #Syria
— Danny Makki (@Dannymakkisyria) May 9, 2018
#BREAKING #NOW
Explosions rock the Syrian capital #Damascus now. Information about Israeli air strikes on military sites belonging to the #Assad forces and the Iranian #FailaqAlQuds in the vicinity of Damascus.#Israel #Syria #USA #Trump #IDF #NuclearDeal #Iran #Russia pic.twitter.com/cZhgrtwoUs— Eva J. Koulouriotis – إيفا كولوريوتي (@evacool_) May 9, 2018
Israel is retaliating against what it has described as an attack by Iranian forces out of Syria on its forward defensive line in the border region of the Golan Heights. The attack began around midnight Wednesday.
Both Israeli and Syrian media have reported shelling and explosions in their territory.
3 sources, one near Khan Arnabeh, 2 in Jubatha al-Khashab, are confirming reports of an Israeli strike on a regime position the western outskirts of Hader, a Druze village that houses Hezbollah-affiliated fighters.
Another Quneitra source confirms the interception by Iron Dome.— Elizabeth Tsurkov (@Elizrael) May 9, 2018
According to al-Mayadeen Syrian forces shelled 10 positions of the Israeli Army with rockets, and several vehicles were targeted with guided missiles.
#Breaking: “Prepare for several scenarios.” #Israel says forces of #Iran in #Syria fired roughly 20 projectiles to the #GolanHeights, and consider it a “severe” event requiring a response.
— Michael Wilner (@mawilner) May 9, 2018
Meanwhile, as shells are exchanged between Syria and Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Moscow visiting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
After 10 hours together, Netanyahu said he conveyed Israel’s obligation to defend itself against Iranian aggression. “I think that matters were presented in a direct and forthright manner, and this is important. These matters are very important to Israel’s security at all times and especially at this time,” he said.
Via ZeroHedge