Israeli missiles hit Syria ahead of talks to force out Iranian militias
ISRAEL fired missiles into Syria yesterday in response to a drone incursion in the Golan Heights, raising tensions on the shared border as Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin were set to meet to discuss Syria’s fate.
Speculation over a potential bargain between the US and Russia that would limit Iran’s influence in Syria in return for an American withdrawal has been mounting ahead of Monday’s summit.
Both Israel and the US are pushing for Russia to use its sway over Bashar al-assad, the Syrian president, to push Iranian troops and their allies, Hizbollah, out of Syria.
But with Syrian forces clearing up the last rebel pockets in the south of the country, the US has little leverage to wield in negotiations.
It is thought that the American presence may be used as a bargaining chip. The US could offer to close its base at al-tanf on the Jordanian border, where many of its estimated 2,000 troops in the country are stationed.
Mr Trump has repeatedly spoken of his desire to extricate US forces from the intractable conflict – a move which would effectively leave Mr Putin as kingmaker in Syria.
On Wednesday, Mr Putin met Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, who pleaded with the Russian leader to help “stabilise the situation”. Mr Netanyahu expressed his increasing concern about the presence of Iranian-backed troops near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Iran, along with Lebanese militia Hizbollah, has been building up an arsenal of weapons that Israel fears could be used against it.
Israeli forces attacked Syrian military positions near the frontier yesterday morning, in a reminder of how volatile the situation remains.
The Israeli military said in a statement that it hit three targets with Patriot missiles in retaliation for an incursion of a drone which was shot down over northern Israel.
There are major questions over whether Moscow could actually enforce any agreement over Iran’s actions in Syria.
Mr Putin and Mr Netanyahu had reportedly reached an agreement for Russia to hold back Iranian-backed groups from the border before the Syrian regime began its offensive against rebels there last month.
However, Hizbollah militants were later discovered to be fighting alongside Assad’s troops disguised in the army’s uniform.
“I think it is a gross overstatement to suggest that Putin can order the Iranian militias out of Syria. He doesn’t have that kind of leverage over Iran,” warned Michael Mcfaul, a former US ambassador to Moscow.
♦yesterday, the Syrian government raised the national flag over areas of Deraa city which has been in rebel hands for years, marking a major victory for President Bashar al-assad in the birthplace of the revolt against his rule.
‘It is a gross overstatement to suggest that Putin can order the Iranian militias out of Syria’