ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

On May 23, the Turkish Army deployed 30 armored vehicles at its observation posts in the town of Murak and the village of Midan Ghazal in the northern and northwestern Hama countryside, according to the Syrian pro-opposition news outlet Enab Baladi. The source said that the units of the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) group Faylaq al-Sham escorted the armored vehicles of the Turkish Army to the observation posts. In a related development, the Ministry of Defense of Russia revealed on May 23 that Russian and Iranian forces had established seventeen observation posts from the northern Aleppo countryside to the northwestern Lattakia during the last few months. Green: Iranian Army posts, Red: Russian Army posts, Yellow: Turkish Army posts, By the Ministry of Defense of Russia The Russian MoD also confirmed that the Turkish Army had established twelve observation posts between the Afrin area and the northern Lattakia countryside since late 2017. Russia, Iran and Turkey ag...

On May 23, more than 300 former fighters of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in the newly liberated northern Homs countryside surrendered their personal weapons and signed a reconciliation agreement with the Damascus government, according to Syrian state TV. The source said that some of these fighters will join the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) while others will return to civilian life. Meanwhile, the Syrian al-Watan newspaper revealed that the Damascus government had rejected to grant a similar reconciliation agreement to 500 militants in the northern Homs countryside due to several crimes they had committed over the past seven years. These 500 radical militants will be evacuated with their families to the northern city of Jarabulus in the upcoming days, according to al-Watan. Under  the reconciliation agreement which was reached on May 2 , the Damascus government is supposed to pardon the former militants there within six months. The government is also supposed to allow those who can’t...

Wikileaks published an email of the former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton revealing that the administration of the ex-President of the US Barack Obama may have fueled a war in Syria to assit Israel against the Iranian-Syrian “dangerous alliance”. In the email, Clinton stressed that the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad must be overthrown “only by force” to assist Israel in dealing “with Iran’s growing nuclear capability”. She affirmed that Assad’s relationship with Iran and Hezbollah had undermined Israel’s security. Thus, Israel wasn’t capable to “respond any provocations” of this “dangerous alliance”. According to the email, this mission could be carried out by “arming the Syrian rebels and using western air power” that could limit the US costs. Clinton concluded pointing out that “with Assad gone” the US and Israel would agree on “red lines” and Syrian people would see the US as “as a friend, not an enemy.” Emails released by Wikileaks ( source ): UNCLASSIF...

Illustrative image Last night, the Israeli Air Force carried out strikes on targets in the Gaza Strip destroying a boat, which was preparing to meet other boats that were trying to sail through Israel’s naval blockade of the region, according to local sources quoted by the media. In turn, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed via Twitter that Israeli jets had “struck underground Hamas terror infrastructure in northern Gaza, as well as 2 additional military targets that belong to the terror organization’s naval force”. IDF ✔ @IDFSpokesperson A short while ago, IAF aircraft struck underground Hamas terror infrastructure in northern Gaza, as well as 2 additional military targets that belong to the terror organization's naval force 03:39 - 23 May 2018 915 388 people are talking about this Twitter Ads information and privacy According to the IDF, the strikes were a response to the event that took place on May 22 morning when...

Photo : Russian Defense Ministry UPDATE:  The Russian military says that a UAV was intercepted. On May 21, Russian air defense systems, allegedly a Pantsir-S short to medium range system, launched at least four missiles at “unidentified” targets over the Khmeimim air base in Syria, according to local sources. According to some sources, the missiles intercepted unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched by militants. The number of the intercepted UAVs is unknown. Previously, Russian forces interceped two UAVs armed with projectiles on April 24.

Israel’s first two F-35 stealth fighter jets on their maiden flight as part of the Israeli Air Force on December 13, 2016. (Israel Defense Forces) F-35I stealth fighters of the Israeli Air Force (IAF) have participated in strikes on Syria, Israel’s air force commander Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin  said on May 22 . “The F-35 squadron has become an operational squadron. We are flying the F-35 all over the Middle East. It had become part of our operational capabilities. We are the first to attack using the F-35 in the Middle East and have already attacked twice on different fronts,” he said. According to Maj. Gen. Norkin, the F-35I stealth fighter did not participate in the last strike in Syria but did in two previous ones. The Israeli military declared initial operational capability of the F-35I stealth fighter in December after receiving nine F-35I warplanes. The IAF is expected to receive a total of 50 jets to make two full squadrons by 2024. Speaking at the IAF Sen...

Illustrative image Syria will confront any Israeli attacks on Syria despite Tel Aviv’s attempts to justify its actions, Syria’s Ambassador to Russia Riad Haddad saidi on May 20. “Syria has its own sovereignty. Any outside aggression against the Syrian territory is an aggression,”  Haddad told reporters . “Our forces, including the air defense, protect the Syrian sky and land. We will repel any aggression against Syria, regardless where it will take place.” The remarks were made in a link to the May 10 incident during which  Israel carried out a massive strike on Syria . Then, both Syria and Russia said the Syrian military had intercepted more than half of the Israeli missiles. However, the Israeli military was able to deliver a notable damage to Syrian and Iranian forces across the country. Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman even claimed that almost entire Iranian infrastructure in Syria had been destroyed. However, according to experts, this is an e...

Written by  Frank Sellers ; Originally appeared at  The Duran Upon learning of  Sergei Skripal’s discharge from the hospital , Putin was happy to hear of his recovery. Although, he reiterated that he was doubtful that their malady was caused by poisoning of a military grade nerve agent. About a month ago,  Yulia Skripal had recovered and was released from hospital care , meaning that both of the victims are presently doing well. RT  reports : Russian President Vladimir Putin says he was happy to hear that former double agent Sergei Skripal had been discharged from hospital, stressing that if a weapons-grade poison had been used, Skripal would have died on the spot. Speaking at a joint press conference with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Putin said he had heard Skripal had been released from hospital. “God give him health, we are very happy,” the Russian president said. He added, however, that he doubts a weapons-grade toxin was used to ...