Israeli Warplanes Fly over Lebanon Again
Israeli warplanes flew over southern Lebanon Friday, two days after an airstrike near Damascus, as Syria's army chief of staff warned against testing his country's capabilities.
Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayoub made his comments Thursday during a visit to some military units in the country. The al-Baath newspaper, the mouthpiece of President Bashar Assad's ruling party, quoted Ayoub as saying Syria will never change its stance "no matter how much the enemy carries out provocative and hostile acts."
The latest overflights came after officials said Israel launched a rare airstrike Wednesday inside Syria, targeting a convoy carrying anti-aircraft weapons bound for Hizbullah.
Israeli planes frequently overfly south Lebanon, and Beirut often files complaints with the U.N. over the incursions into its airspace.
The Syrian military denied that the target of the attack was a weapons convoy. It said low-flying Israeli jets crossed into the country over the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and bombed a scientific research center.
According to a U.S. official, the Israeli airstrikes targeted trucks containing SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles. The trucks were next to the research center the Syrians identified, and the strikes hit both the trucks and the facility.
The facility is in the area of Jamraya, northwest of Damascus, about 15 kilometers from the Lebanese.
Ayoub, the Syrian military commander, said the "battle with the Zionist enemy continues and did not stop." He said rebel gunmen fighting against his troops are "tools of the Zionist entity." Israel and Syria have been bitter enemies for six decades.
The uprising against Assad began in March 2011 with pro-reform protests and developed into a civil war. The Syrian government says there is no uprising in Syria but a conspiracy against the country because of its support of anti-Israeli groups.
"We know our capabilities and readiness to use all these capabilities at the suitable time," Ayoub said. "Those who think they can test our armed forces are mistaken."
In Lebanon, the security official said the Israeli fighter planes were seen heading from southern Lebanon toward the eastern Bekaa Valley that borders Syria.
Butros Wanna, a resident in the southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun, near the border with Israel, said Israeli flights have been intense for the past four days.
"There is something not normal going on. Warplanes are always in the air," said Wanna.
01 February 2013, 14:27
24
what will happen if an violating israely plane is shut down in lebanon ?
the fault will be on the defenders or the attackers?
01 February 2013, 15:20
54
look who is talking about traitors on the same day Mahmoud hayek is indicted for the attempted assassination of Boutros Harb and other attempts.
the only traitors to Lebanon are hizbshaitan, who operate under the orders of iran to destabilize Lebanon, thugs and murderes, and their followers the fpm who act as their Christian cover for a penny of dollars.
01 February 2013, 15:32
51
if u dont want to be called israeli traitor or ameel,u have to be a farsi ameel or a good student in the FQ(FAQIHI COLLEGE).
01 February 2013, 16:29
42
Seriously phoenix? you cherish this piece of filth who wants to shoot those who disagree with him in the head and dissolve them in acid? Really???
cherish
vb (tr)
1. to show great tenderness for; treasure
2. to cling fondly to (a hope, idea, etc.); nurse to cherish ambitions
[from Old French cherir, from cher dear, from Latin cārus]
cherishable adj
cherisher n
cherishingly adv
01 February 2013, 16:36
43
If the plane attacked the state of the terrorist HA group within the state of Lebanon, the fault is on HA terrorist outlaw state. If the plane attacked Lebanese sovereign territory, civilian or military installations or infrastructure under the control of the true legitimate Lebanese state, then the attacker would be at fault.
01 February 2013, 14:49
34
Israel has no faults. This is why it doesn't recognize the International court.
01 February 2013, 14:56
45
For no apparent reason. But their justification will be preventive strike.
01 February 2013, 15:35
54
There's plenty of space in our skies. I reassure you, no plane will crash. If they land, make sure you offer them coffee. Turkish style of course.
01 February 2013, 15:58
20
Israel has already several excuses to hit hizbushaitan:
- hungary explosion
- US embassy explosion which will be pinned on hizbushaitan
just to talk about the most recent....
when the green light will come to end hizbushaitan, it will be done, whatever the cost, as what happened with the Palestinians in 82 in Lebanon.
01 February 2013, 18:20
41
where in God's name have you seen me apologize for Israel?
you are full of it and your reply is typical hizbushaitan rhetoric: you do not agree with us then you are Israeli :)
hizbushaitan will go down the drain sooner than later and Lebanon will start recovering to strive again without all your sectarian BS.
01 February 2013, 16:03
00
Well all of you are talking about Lebanese issues, let's talk about the simple issue of an Israeli plane attacking Syrian territory. When was the last time you heard that a Syrian plane attacked an Israeli facility? And the Syrian head of the army says "Our battle with the Zionist enemy continues and did not stop". Did he say "did not stop"????? When did it even start??? I can see a war in Syria between Syrians, but I never heard of a war between Syria and Israel for the last 60 years? Are all these arms imported from Russia and China to kill Lebanese and Syrians, or are they to defend Syria from Israel?
01 February 2013, 16:20
33
@al-kafi, please don't link by default the Shia sect with the HA terror group, giving the impression that Shia's are all HA supporters. While true the majority are followers by choice or at gunpoint, this is an unfair and inflammatory statement. Of course if you are painting yourself as and you want us to think you are a mouta3asseb dod el Shia, then that is your right and business.
01 February 2013, 16:25
23
expendable
adj
1. that may be expended or used up
2. not essential; not worth preserving
3. able to be sacrificed to achieve an objective, esp a military one
n
something that is expendable
expendability n
01 February 2013, 17:35
00
maybe israel can still win wars , but israel cannot guarranty anymore her internal front
ie :israel with the iron dome can get crippling losses
that is why in israel now the trend is for words not deeds
01 February 2013, 17:40
06
Halo. Airspace violation is no big deal unless it is followed by bombings. The Lebanese don't respect each other, why should the israelies respect us or our airspace?
01 February 2013, 21:33
22
@phoenix, I wasn't trying to offend you or correct you. At times you make very outlandish statements sometimes and don't back them up. The CIA to my knowledge does not use the term EXPENDIBLES as you spelled it. I believe you are an ordinary civilian who likes to pass himself off as being politically connected and privy to information that the rest of are not, as a result you come across as pompoms "full of himself" person.
01 February 2013, 21:37
42
@phoenix, okay, good post, Thanks. Just for the record I am paranoid by nature and I suspect you are FT's alter ego.
01 February 2013, 21:47
43
Can't you see our friend Phoenix is much calmer, smarter than FT? We can diagree with him without being insulted. Such respect that FT lacks... With a few exceptions.
01 February 2013, 21:42
32
A gem? Really? You don't know me well enough...I am just a regular guy, fed up with propaganda, extremism, self righteous ideology, terrorism and high taxes. Have a great weekend yourself, I hope you are a fan of American Football and you'll catch the Super Bowl...you're welcome to swing by and share of you beers and cheers.
02 February 2013, 11:39
02
The Lebanese Army should invest in anti-aircraft weaponry and shoot any and all foreign aircraft that do not have permission to be in Lebanon's airspace.
